Dover, DE — Pat Matters ($8.40) beat the boys in Tuesday’s (Jan. 19) $20,000 Open Trot at Dover Downs with a dominant 1:51.4 performance.

Pat Matters proved too tough and bested five rivals in Tuesday’s Open Trot at Dover Downs. Fotowon photo.

Warrior One and Scirocco Rob left for early position over Pat Matters, who launched a quick brush from third to gain control of the race just after a rapid :27.1 first quarter. Once in control, driver Andy McCarthy rated Pat Matters to a :55.4 half before speeding to three-quarters in 1:23.4. At the top of the stretch, Pat Matters left her male rivals in her dust, using a :28 last quarter to win by a convincing two lengths. Warrior One (Yannick Gingras) finished second from the pocket, and Scirocco Rob (Tim Tetrick) finished third as the 3-2 favorite.

“Last week, I was unkind to her and roughed her up a bit,” McCarthy said about the 6-year-old Explosive Matter mare. “I wanted to sit behind JL Cruze last week, but he was not good. This week, I was easier on her, and she responded.”

Nifty Norman trains Pat Matters for the Patricia Stable.

Racing returns to Dover Downs on Wednesday (Jan. 20); post time is 4:30 p.m. Thursday’s (Jan. 21) card features a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-5 pool and a reduced 15 percent takeout on the wager which spans the final five races of the card.