Sophomore stars were out in full force at Dover Downs on Sunday evening, with eliminations and prep races for this year’s Matron Stakes in addition to a pair of eliminations for the Progress Pace
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Trotting fillies and trotting colts and geldings went at it in their respective eliminations of the Matron Stakes, while the Glamour Boys waged war in a set of $35,000 eliminations for this year’s Progress Pace. Pacing fillies were also on hand for a prep race leading up to their Matron Stakes final which goes next weekend.
Here’s a recap of what took place:
$50,665 Matron Stakes elimination for Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters
Cedar Dove, fresh off her sweep in the Breeders Crown elimination and final, was a dominant winner yet again for the tandem of driver Ron Pierce and trainer Noel Daley. Pierce hustled the daughter of Andover Hall-Pine For Her to immediate command, and after laying down fractions of :27.4, :58.1 and 1:26.3 she used a :28.4 final frame to win in 1:55.2. Sent off odds of 4-5, she defeated Beatgoeson Hanover and Firstclassprincess.
Adam Victor And Son Stable of New York, NY shares ownership on the eight-time winner with John Fielding of Toronto, ON. It was her seventh win of the season in 16 tries, and the lion’s share of the purse lifted her lifetime earnings to $714,173.
$38,665 Matron Stakes Preview for Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Drop The Ball, who was a beaten favourite in last Saturday’s Breeders Crown final, rebounded with a decisive score in her assignment for driver Yannick Gingras. The daughter of Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl sat third while Foxy Lady zipped by the opening marker in a :28-second clip. Gingras was on the move in front of the grandstand with the 1-5 favourite, and after cruising to the lead she led the field through middle panels of :56.2 and 1:24.3. She rattled home in :27.1 to win by a comfortable margin in 1:51.4 over Strike An Attitude and Foxy Lady.
Jeff Webster trains the nine-time winner, who is 5-for-14 this season, for the partnership of Let It Ride Stables Inc, Dana Parham and Robert Cooper Stables LLC. She’s managed to stash away $534,334 to date.
$58,315 Matron Stakes elimination for Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trotters
Chapter Seven and Broad Bahn, the top two finishers in last weekend’s Breeders Crown final at Woodbine Racetrack, experienced some déjà vu on Sunday thanks to their 1-2 finish in Sunday’s Matron Stakes elimination.
Broad Bahn hustled to the lead and threw down fractions of :28 and :58 before feeling first over pressure from Chapter Seven and driver Tim Tetrick. The sprinted side-by-side to the three-quarter pole in 1:25.3 before Chapter Seven edged past the determined tempo-setter in the late stages of the mile. Broad Bahn held on for the runner-up award, with third prize earned by Bambino Hall.
The 1-9 favourite tripped the teletimer in 1:53.4 for Linda Toscano, who trains the streaking son of Windsongs Legacy-La Riviera Lindy for partners Richard Gutnick, Gary Cocco, Southwind Farm and Jerry Silva. It was the fourth consecutive tally for the trotter, who improved his 2011 record to 5-1-0 in nine tries. The 12-time winner upped his earnings to $888,599 with the victory.
$35,000 Progress Pace eliminations for Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pacers
Alsace Hanover eked out a narrow victory in the first elimination for driver Ron Pierce, with Rock To Glory a hard-closing second in the $35,000 affair.
Westwardho Hanover rolled to the lead and sliced out an opening quarter in :26.1 before coming under attack from Alsace Hanover on the way to the half in :54.3. They were still engaged in battle at the three-quarter pole in 1:21.4 before Alsace Hanover edged by to gain the lead. Rock To Glory made things interesting in the closing strides when he rallied up the rail, but Alsace Hanover dug in to win over that hard-closing rival in 1:50.1. Third went to Westwardho Hanover.
Tony O’Sullivan trains the winning son of The Panderosa-Arts Masterpiece , who was sent off as the 1-5 favourite, for owner John Fielding of Toronto, ON. The triumph was the pacer’s eighth of the season and the tenth of his career. He has a lifetime cash stash of $880,924.
The second elimination went to Fashion Delight, who capitalized on a front-end battle between a pair of George Teague, Jr.-trained colts.
Feel Like A Fool sprinted to the quarter pole in :25.4 before being confronted and pestered by Custard The Dragon through middle splits of :54.4 and 1:22.4. The battle took the wind out of their sails, and it left the door wide-open for the backfield. George Brennan sent Fashion Delight three-wide coming out of the final turn, and the son of Bettors Delight-B Js Sunshine accelerated to the lead en route to hitting the wire in 1:52.1. Avenue Hanover came on for the runner-up award, with the show dough going to Mr Tommy Fra.
Sent off at odds of 8-5, the Jim Campbell-trained Fashion Delight picked up his third win of the season and the eighth of his career. Fashion Farms LLC of New Hope, PA owns the winner of $719,197.