Two-year-old talent was on display in a big way Thursday evening at Dover Downs as the oval hosted a quartet of rich Matron Stake finals for the freshman set.
Venerable ($2.10) showed no ill effects from her Breeders Crown elim miscue, winning the $130,700 Matron Stakes for two-year-old filly trotters in completely decisive fashion.
The game plan was clear for driver David Miller as the wings of the gate folded: get to the front and play catch me if you can. After fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3, no one could catch 1/9 shot Venerable and, to be honest, none of her rivals could come close. Trotting home in :29 was more than enough to pull away to an eight-length decision in 1:54.3.
"She looked pretty much like she was the best in there so to avoid any problems I put her on the lead," said Miller after the win, her ninth in 10 starts this season for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and owners David Mc Duffee, Mel Hartman of Ottawa, Ont., Paul Bordogna and Steven Arnold. One of the richest two-year-old trotters in harness racing history, Venerable (Walner - Jolene Jolene) now sports a $1.07 million bankroll with the Goldsmith Maid at The Meadowlands a distinct possibility.
A $20,000 supplemental entry, Threepointbluechip made good on that investment from his connections with a strong performance in the $179,000 Matron Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Leaving from post two, driver James MacDonald was able to obtain early position with Threepointbluechip by landing in the pocket behind Whiskey Hanover (Andy Miller) heading into the opening turn. Letsdoit S (Brian Sears) right-lined from third through a :28.4 opener, and MacDonald followed Letsdoit S to take over command before a :56.3 half.
Periculum (Mattias Melander) started a first-over attack heading down the backstretch but MacDonald still kept the tempo to his advantage with the third station reached in 1:26. Turning for home, Threepointbluechip had enough left to repel late bids from pylon-skimming Slay (Andy McCarthy) and Ontario-sired Esplosione (Dexter Dunn) to hold on by a half-length to win in 1:55.
Conditioned while in Delaware by Jim King, Jr., Threepointbluechip is owned by TheStable.ca's Three Point Group of Guelph, Ont. The 1:55 time equals his lifetime best, and his bankroll increased dramatically with the Matron victory. The winner's share of the purse for his third win in six lifetime starts lifts his earnings to $107,100.
King indicated that the plan is to race the son of Walner - Dunk The Donato in the Valley Victory later this month at The Meadowlands.
Market Based and driver Dexter Dunn kicked off the Matron Stakes quartet with an easy 1:50.4 score in the $146,700 division for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
Leaving from the inside post, 8-5 favourite Market Based shot to the lead and lined up the short field of four behind him in post position order. Never facing a serious challenge, he cruised through fractions of :27.1, :55 and 1:23.1 en route to the career-best victory. Fourever Boy (Mike Wilder), the 2-1 second choice, tipped out from third on the final turn and overtook the pocket-sitter, Nautical Hanover (Todd McCarthy), down the stretch for the runner-up honours, with Atlas Hanover (Andy McCarthy) completing the order of finish.
"Earlier in the year when he was really sharp, he raced a couple of good miles on the front end -- I think it was Pocono maybe -- so with the short field, we had the draw and we used it and he performed the rest," said Dunn after the colt's first Grand Circuit stakes victory.
"He seems to like the five-eighths racing," added trainer Nancy Takter. "He gets around the turn well and, like Dex said, he's got good early speed so that obviously helps him control the pace. He definitely does like a shorter track though."
The homebred son of Sweet Lou out of millionairess Economy Terror is owned by Chuck Pompey, Edwin Gold, and H And M Taylor Stable. A winner of four of his 12 starts and nearly $225,000 to date, Market Based might not be done yet.
"I was actually going to quit with him for the year, but maybe we'll race him in the Governor's Cup," said Takter. "We'll have to see how he comes out of this race and we'll make plans from there."
Market Based returned $5.40 to win.
Joyride Hanover ($5.20) posted the biggest victory of her career thanks to her dominant triumph in the $145,100 Matron Stakes for two-year-old filly pace.
Tim Tetrick hustled the Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman-trained lass to the lead from Post 2, and after slicing out fractions of :27.2, :56 and 1:23.2 she used a :28.3 closing frame to win convincingly in 1:52. Grabbing the runner-up award was Shipnstrol Hanover, while Frantasy Hanover took home the show dough in the rich affair.
“I wanted to either cut it or be up close,” said Tetrick. “She’s been chasing the good ones all year and she deserves to win a Grade-A one win.”
“She’s been good all year and tonight she got a good draw,” said trainer Norman. “She’s off to the Three Diamonds in good order.”
The daughter of American Ideal-JK Higher Power bettered her freshman record to 3-3-3 from 10 attempts for owner Eric Good of Denton, MD. The lion’s share of the purse bumped her overall cash stash to $194,552.