$1.5 million Matron Stakes draw stars to Dover

by Dover Downs

cover photo by Nigel Soult

DOVER, Del —  A total of $1,561,150 in Matron Stakes purses is on the line in eight stakes finals on a giant Thursday, Nov. 6 program at Dover Downs. Post time is 4:30 p.m. A $26,000 Delaware Special headed by defending Horse of the Meet Nova Artist and track record holder Bandolito, lead a strong undercard.

There are five $1,000,000 winners, one of whom, Father Patrick, has earned more than $2-million among the Matron starters. Leading trainers Ron Burke and Jimmy Takter have entered their top young horses.

The Filly and Colt freshmen trotters make up the daily double. Wild Honey, a winner of eight of nine races with one second with Yannick Gingras driving for Christine Takter, Liverman and the Fielding’s is the one to beat in the first race boasting a $203,800 purse while Burke-owned Habitat with partners Weaver Bruscemi and Our Horse Cents Stable matches strides with Bender Sweden and Roy Holth’s Bill Flynn with Brett Miller in race #2 going for $237,500.

A Delaware-owned filly pacer, Bettor Be Steppin, owned by Rojan Stables, along with Ted Gewertz and Val D’or Stable and trained by University of Delaware grad Joe Holloway, is a major contender in the $199,600 Matron frosh pace meeting Southwind Roulette, with Corey Callahan, a winner of five of eight starts for Phila. attorney Howard Taylor and Brad Grant and Burke Racing, Pahellerric Stable, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi’s Sassa Hanover, who has won eight of 10 and driven by Gingras.

Another local tie comes in the $193,200 colt and gelding pace where Yankee Bounty, owned by Frank Pitts of Harrington, and the Yankee Bounty Partnership, holding an impressive eight wins in nine races record meeting Joe Lyons-Mound’s Lyons Levi Lewis, handled by Ron Pierce, and White Birch Farm’s In The Arsenal, reined by Brian Sears and New York Sire Stakes champion Cartoon Daddy driven by Gingras for Joe Scala and Burke Racing.

Takter has the trotters to beat in the sophomore division. The streaking Shake It Cerry racing for Solveig’s Racing Partners and driver Pierce and Lifetime Pursuit, owned by breeder Brittany Farms with Gingras in the bike, are both listed in the sport’s Top 10 and meet in the $160,950 three-year-old filly trot.

Father Patrick, owned by the Father Patrick Stable, a winner of 11 of 15 and nearly $2.2-million in his career drew the rail with Gingras driving in the $200,350 colt trot. Red hot trotter Nuncio, winner of last year’s from Matron with John Campbell, returns but most overcome outside post 8. The Stall Tz Inc. colt has never been worse than second winning 15 of 25 lifetime and approaching $1.8-million in earnings.

SSG Stable’s McWicked, with David Miller driving for trainer Casey Coleman, a $1-million winner; Matt Kakaley teams with All Bets Off , another million-dollar winner, for Baldachino, Shelswell, Panhellenic Stable and Burke Racing, are among the contestants in the $186,550 Matron Colt pace.

Fast finishing Weeper, owned by Bay Pond Stable of Paoli, Pa. and steered by Corey Callahan, is a dramatic fast finisher, She tangles with a pair of Coleman trainees, Mac Nichol’s Major Dancer and Brett Miller and Also Encouraging with David Miller. Both are owned by West Win Stables, in the $179,200 filly pace.

To top off the outstanding card, in the $26,000 Delaware Special, Bandolito, co-owned by trainer-driver Daryl Bier, Charles Dombeck and David Bier, closed out last meet scoring a 1:48 performance to break the former track record. In the first Del. Special of the new meet, he collides with Eddie and Kathy Davis’ Nova Artist, with driver Allan Davis, who was voted Horse of the Meet twice in the past three seasons. Among the nine contestants, John Dayton’s Just A Jolt, handled by Vic Kirby, and Kovach Stable’s Feel Like A Fool with Corey Callahan are fast contenders on the strong undercard.

Throughout the year, Harness and Thoroughbred Simulcasting opens daily at 12 Noon until 12 Midnight at Dover Downs Race and Sports Book in the Colonnade. There is no charge for parking or admission at Dover Downs.