Dover, DE — Jason Bartlett was the big winner on Thursday (Nov. 13) at Bally’s Dover, taking two of the four Matron Stakes for 3-year-olds contested on the program.
Hambletonian Oaks winner Conversano used a first-over blitz into the far turn to overpower R Dutchess and take the $132,350 Grade 2 Matron for 3-year-old trotting fillies in 1:52.4.
In line to Bartlett, Conversano got away third behind R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) and R Lady W (Todd McCarthy), stalked first-half fractions of :27 and :55.4, and commenced an aggressive first-over push upon reaching the backstretch. The Muscle Hill-Celebrity Ruth filly threw down a :26.4 third sectional to clear R Dutchess upon entering the far turn, and she drew clear to win by 2-3/4 lengths. R Dutchess narrowly held off a late rally from My Debt Collecter (Tyler Buter) to save second.
Monalishi, the 9-5 favorite, broke stride heading to the backstretch and finished fifth in the eight-horse field.
Juan Cano trains Conversano, who has now won 10 of 21 starts and earned $617,561 for Hot Lead Farm. As the 5-2 third choice, Conversano paid $7.80 to win.
Bartlett came back to take the $149,350 Grade 3 Matron for 3-year-old male pacers with New York Sire Stakes champion and Breeders Crown runner-up Dandy Ideal, who narrowly parried pocket rival Captain Optimistic for a 1:50.1 score and gained millionaire status in the act.
Dandy Ideal dueled clear of Captain Optimistic (Scott Zeron) on the first turn and cleared for control at the end of a :26.2 first quarter. The pair raced one-two from there on out, with Dandy Ideal holding an uncontested lead through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:22.4 before evading Captain Optimistic by a driven three-quarters of a length. Fusion (Dexter Dunn) finished a ground-saving third.
Hunter Oakes strains Dandy Ideal, a American Ideal-OK Heavenly gelding with 15 wins and $1,034,780 to his name from 27 starts, for Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Wier and Alan Johnston. As the 3-5 favorite, he paid $3.20 to win.
Super Chapter avenged his Breeders Crown defeat to stablemate Meshuggah with a devastating 1:51.2 score in the $163,050 Grade 3 Matron for 3-year-old male trotters.
Dexter Dunn secured a pocket ride for 1-2 favorite Super Chapter behind 2-1 second choice Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy) and drafted behind splits of :27 and :56.1 before pulling with five-sixteenths to go and instantaneously accelerating clear of Go Dog Go at three-quarters in 1:24.1. The Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit colt sped clear off the far turn, evading Meshuggah, who collared a fading Go Dog Go for second at the eighth pole, by six lengths. Cheers Hanover (Tim Tetrick) saved third.
Marcus Melander trains Super Chapter, a 14-time winner with $1,757,359 earned from 25 starts, for Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti and Hanover Shoe Farms. He paid $3.00 to win.
Unreasonable took advantage of a live tow behind 6-5 Rodeo Drive Deo and lifted late to post a 1:53.1 win in the $130,350 Grade 2 Matron for 3-year-old pacing fillies.
After getting away seventh behind a :26.4 first-quarter duel between The Last Martini (Doug McNair) and Champagne Room (Yannick Gingras), Unreasonable and Marcus Miller angled third-over into the clubhouse turn to stalk a live flow headed by Asphalt (Tim Tetrick), who was shoved three-wide nearing the :57.3 half. Asphalt sustained her first-over pressure on The Last Martini to force a :27.3 third quarter, and as the pace collapsed on the far turn, David Miller angled Jugette winner Rodeo Drive Deo three-wide to strike the front. No sooner did Unreasonable take aim at Rodeo Drive Deo, and the Huntsville-Roaring To Go filly won by a widening half length. Champagne Room was elevated to third over The Last Martini, who was disqualified after being deemed responsible for interference to six of her rivals on entry to the clubhouse turn.
Trainer Erv Miller’s Ervin Miller Stable shares ownership of Unreasonable, a winner of 11 races and $721,634 in purses from 26 starts, with David J. Miller. She paid $6.20 to win as the 2-1 second choice.