Shebestingin leads Matron elim winners at Dover
November 10, 2013,by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs
Dover, DE — The Matron Stakes eliminations were featured on a standout Sunday (Nov. 10) program at Dover Downs. Drivers John Campbell and Corey Callahan had two wins each while trainer Jimmy Takter also had a double.
Shebestingin was a 1:51.2 winner for driver David Miller.
The final Matron elim was all Shebestingin and David Miller in one of two 3-year-old filly pace splits. A Bettor’s Delight-Ambro Tussle distaff trained by Joe Holloway, won for the 10th time this campaign in 1:51.2. Ms Caila J Fra (Andy Miller) was next with UF Dragon’s Queen (Tim Tetrick) the show finisher. Ted Gewertz, Val D’Or Farm and L&L DeVisser own the winner.
Program choice Somewherovrarainbow was scratched in the first $21,775 sophomore filly pace elim. Homegrown talent Corey Callahan piloted Jerseylicious, owned by Pam Curran and Legacy Racing of DE and trained by Wayne Givens, to a 1:52.1 success, coming three wide around the final turn to catch front-pacing Summertime Lea (Yannick Gingras) in the lane. Cheyenne Miriam (Andy Miller) also closed strongly with Summertime Lea holding on for third.
Smilin Eli led off the Grand Circuit portion of racing and was never headed in a 1:53.1 performance, coming the final panel in :27.4 to win the $51,075 3-year-old colt trot elim. Tim Tetrick guided the son of Muscles Yankee-Gerri’s Joy, trained by David Smith for owner Nick Cimino, to his fifth victory of the season. Bluto finished second for Andy Miller with Possessed Fashion third for Brian Sears.
It was All Bets Off, conditioned by Ron Burke, in the $51,525 freshman colt pace elim as Matt Kakaley steered the Bettor’s Delight-Armbro Penelope youngster to a 1:51.3 score. McWicked (Andy Miller) finished second in front of Stevensville (Ray Schnittker). Frank Baldachino, Rosemary Shelswell, The Panhellenic Stable and Burke Racing Stable own the winner.
Jim Mettinis hustled Bob Mondillo and Chris Ryder’s Well Built down the lane to catch breaking early leader Don Dorado (Tim Tetrick) in deep stretch for a 1:55.2 triumph in a $27,775 division of the 2-year-old colt trot. Skates N Plates (Simon Allard) came on to finish second. Don Dorado returned to trotting and took third.
Nuncio won a 2-year-old colt trot elimination in a time of 1:55.2.
The other division of the freshman colt trot went to Stall TZ Inc.’s Nuncio in a time of 1:55.2. John Campbell was in the bike for trainer Scott Andrews as the son of Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle won by two lengths over It Really Matters (Ron Pierce). Karets was third for driver Simon Allard.
Ali Blue was the race favorite and winner of the $44,175 2-year-old filly pace elim with a strong 1:51.4 effort. The American Ideal-Mintjulip Bluechip juvenile is owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding and RAW Equine and was driven by Yannick Gingras. Instant Respect (Ron Pierce) was runner-up. Jimmy Takter trained both the first and second-place finishers.
Ron Pierce sent Shake It Cerry, owned by Soveig Racing Partners, into the early lead and never looked back on the way to a 1:54.4 conquest in a $46,700 Matron Preview for 2-year-old trotting fillies. The win was the sixth in nine races for the Donato Hanover-Solveig lass. A 47-1 shot, Noon Tea Party (Andy Miller) got up for second in front of Struck By Lindy (David Miller).
The top 3-year-old pacing males took part in the $53,462 elim with John Campbell winning for the second time during the card, ushering the Mark Steacy-conditioned Sunshine Beach, owned by Conrad Leber, Diane Bertrand and Hudson Standardbred, to an easy victory in 1:50.1. Emeritus Maximus (Simon Allard) and Twilight Bonfire (Tim Tetrick) were second and third, respectively.
Corey Callahan scored his second Matron elim win, guiding Ma Chere Hall to a convincing 1:54 triumph in a $54,750 3-year-old filly trot elim. Joe Sbrocco, Aldebaran Park and Walnut Hall Ltd. own the Deweycheatumnhowe-Margarita Hall daughter that won her eighth race of the season. Southwind Cocoa (Tim Tetrick) was second best. Time To Kill (John Campbell) was third.
Next Sunday, the top eight finishers in each of the eight classes return for lucrative finals.
- Well Built is finding his best form heading into Matron final (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)
His owners didn’t even bother to turn on the lights when they checked him out in the field at the 2012 Lexington Selected Sale, but Chris Ryder and Robert Mondillo have to be pretty pleased with how their evening foray happened to turn out.
- Talented Shake It Cerry seeks Matron crown (Friday, November 15, 2013)
This year’s group of 2-year-old trotting fillies has been nothing short of spectacular and may very well be the swiftest of all time. In fact, Cooler Schooner already holds that distinction, but Shake It Cerry’s 1:53.3 track record performance in the $321,700 Merrie Annabelle and her $500,000 Breeders Crown triumph place her at the top of an extremely talented class.