Metro Pace winner Eastie Boy recorded the second graded stakes victory of his rookie campaign with a 1:50.1 score in the $159,722 Grade 3 Matron Stakes for two-year-old male pacers at Bally's Dover on Thursday, Nov. 4, leading a sweep of the top two placings for trainer Ron Burke.
Eastie Boy sat third early before driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. activated him coming off the first turn, just after Stonebridge Blitz (Yannick Gingras) brushed clear of early pacesetter Hungry Marco (Tim Tetrick) to take control at the end of a :27 first quarter. Eastie Boy cleared his stablemate with just over a lap to go, and the Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer colt traveled unopposed through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:23.4.
Turning for home, Eastie Boy shifted gears and threw down a :26.2 closing quarter, extending his winning margin to two lengths with plenty in reserve. Stonebridge Blitz was a clear-cut second, 5-3/4 lengths better than Bcs Odds On (Brandon Givens), who emerged up the open stretch to take third over the tiring Hungry Marco.
Eastie Boy, whose five wins this season also include a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes preliminary, has earned $909,006 from 12 starts while competing as a homebred for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phil Collura. As the 1-2 favourite, he paid $3 to win.
Hawaiian Warfare Extends Streak In DSBF prelim
Hawaiian Warfare ($2.40), who in October recorded a clean sweep in his Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series at Harrington Raceway, maintained his winning form with a lifetime-best 1:53.2 victory in the third of three $27,778 first-round DSBF Dover Series preliminary divisions for two-year-old male pacers.
In line to Mike Cole, Hawaiian Warfare put up :28, :57.1 and 1:25.2 fractions en route to his eighth consecutive win, defeating See Jack Run (Ross Wolfenden) by 2-1/4 lengths. Dash Cam (Roger Plante Jr.) was placed up to third.
Erin Neilson trains the U S Captain-Ukulele Blue Chip gelding for owner/breeder Forrest Bartlett. Hawaiian Warfare is now eight-for-nine with $154,537 in earnings.
Odds-on favourites also captured the other two DSBF splits: Hes Soaring ($2.80) and driver Ryder Skinner rallied to a 1:54.3 score over Earls Watching (Brandon Givens) for trainer Jason Skinner, and Aeneas ($3.60) and driver Montrell Teague posted a gate-to-wire 1:54.4 win over Bootcamp Baby (Allan Davis) for trainer Jamie Sullivan.
Wehadababyetzaboy Dominates In Blue Hen Open, Leads Crissman Grand Slam
Wehadababyetzaboy ($3.60) looked every bit the part of a 4-5 favourite in the $38,194 Blue Hen Open Pace, taking charge early and powering clear of his seven rivals late for a 1:49.4 win to cap a training grand slam for Chuck Crissman Jr.
Brandon Givens pointed the seven-year-old Sweet Lou-Camille gelding out of the pocket midway around the first turn to seize control from Dale Yeah (Tony Morgan) just after a :27.2 quarter. Wehadababyetzaboy's win was never in doubt from then on, rating a :56.1 half before throwing down a vicious :53.3 back half, with three-quarters in 1:22.3 before a :27.1 sprint home to defeat Dale Yeah by 7-1/2 lengths. Stevens Saloon (Jason Thompson) circled stalled cover and rallied to just miss the runner-up spot.
Wehadababyetzaboy, owned by Barbara Boese and Wendy Crissman, is 14-for-35 on the year and 38-for-140 lifetime with $782,140 in earnings.
Crissman also won with Blood Feud ($74,80, Givens, 1:53.2), Renaissance Deo ($4, Tetrick, 1:50.3) and Easy Breeze ($2.20, Tetrick, 1:49.4). The trainer has a 21.4 per cent win rate this season with 132 wins from 618 starts.
Eight Straight For Ridin The Waves
Ridin The Waves ($11.20) grew his win streak to eight despite a step up in class, winning a $24,306 event for $48,611 claimers in a career-best 1:50. Tony Morgan sent the four-year-old Downbytheseaside-Takealilridewithme gelding on two moves to the front through :26.1 and :53.4 early splits, and Ridin The Waves maintained the sharp tempo through three-quarters in 1:21.3 before sealing the deal with a :28.2 kicker. Time Passer (Givens) finished second, 2-1/4 lengths back, over Kimble A (Tim Tetrick).
Daniel Munson trains Ridin The Waves, now 11-for-17 this year, and shares ownership with Penelope Morgan. The gelding has won 13 of 45 career outings and earned $159,507.
Racing returns to Bally's Dover on Monday. The 15-race program features a pair of $20,000 USD first-round DSBF preliminaries for two-year-old trotting fillies at the top of the card. Harrington series champion Daringly has been installed as the 9-5 favourite in the second split, carded as the second race. On the wagering front, there will be a carryover of $1,307.17 in the 50-cent pentafecta, offered in the final race. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).
(With files from Bally's Dover)