Leading X Ample, Gryffindor win Matron Colt elims
December 5, 2005,by Marv Bachrad, Dover Downs Publicity Director
DOVER, Del. — A cold, windy and snowy Monday, Dec. 5 did not deter a top racing day at Dover Downs. Leading X Ample scored a 1:51.4 victory just catching Dear Old Boy in deep stretch in the first of two $39,206 Matron Three-Year-Old Colt Pace eliminations while Gryffindor was the best in the second division.
Leading X Ample and Dear Old Boy conducted a two-horse vendetta in the first of two Matron elims. New York State champion Dear Old Boy, owned by Ted Gewertz and Gaetan Brunet, with Brian Sears driving, cut out most of the fast fraction with Leading X Ample Stable’s The Panderosa Leading X Ample colt steered by David Miller, chasing the leader until moving out to challenge at the three-quarters.
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Leading X Ample (3) scored a 1:51.4 victory, just catching Dear Old Boy in deep stretch in the first of two Matron Three-Year-Old Colt Pace eliminations.
The two waged war around the final turn and the length of the stretch until Leading X Ample prevailed at the wire. Thin Blue Line, winner of the $275,000 Windy City Pace, was third with Tony Morgan driving. Richard Branca’s Perdition, with George Brennan, was fourth and qualified for the final.
Three of the four horses to qualify for next Monday’s $260,238 Matron Final, have strong local connections. Three Point Acres’ Gryffindor, winner of the $394,120 Progress Pace, $218,475 Messenger Stake at Harrington, $136,400 James B Dancer at Freehold and third in the $555,000 Breeders Crown Final, took the lead from post 7 and never relinquished it on the way to his 13th win of the year, a 1:52.4 wire-to-wire conquest, the third on the program by David Miller. Must Be Matt, with Ron Pierce, closed to finish second. The other qualifiers, Bob Messick’s Roddy’s Bags Again, with Eric Ledford, third, and Voracious Hanover, with Ben Stafford Jr. driving for Kathleen Stafford and John Heckler, finished fourth.
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Gryffindor took the lead from post 7 and never relinquished it on the way to his 13th win of the year, a 1:52.4 wire-to-wire conquest.
The regular Monday feature, the $30,000 Preferred Handicap pace, was a dogfight from start to finish. Keystone Rodeo enjoyed a 2-hole trip following leader Driven To Win (David Miller) from the start to halfway home before rallying along the passing lane to overtake Bobnoxious (Tim Curtin), who had edged into a short lead, at the finish line in 1:53.1. Flight Sign (Ron Pierce) closed sharply on the outside to finish third. Mark’s Secret Love (Tony Morgan) raced most of the mile on the outside alongside of race favorite Driven To Win and still held on for fourth.
In deep stretch amid a convoy of attackers, John Frazer’s hard-trying homebred Atenothnbutdscootr edged into the lead with Jim King driving in the final steps to score a 1:53.1 victory in the $28,000 Delaware Special. King Of Cards (Ron Pierce) was second in a tight photo with Scootin Scholar (Brandon Gives) right there third. The win was the second for King and sixth of the season for the five-year-old Direct Scooter gelding, who has earned $96,795 this year.
In the $25,000 Open Handicap pace, Richard Roberts and trainer Bob Reeser’s Lekrem Bluegrass got away fifth at the start and after a :26.1 opening quarter began to move up in front of the grandstand. The three-year-old Dorunrun Bluegrass colt moved into the lead on the outside for David Miller as the horses passed the half mile in :55.1. From there, Lekrem Bluegrass was in complete control before holding off a fast finishing Noble Tess (Brian Sears), closing along the passing lane to within a neck of the winner at the wire in 1:51.4. It was the 13th win of the year in 24 races for Lekrem Bluegrass who now has banked $175,012 in 2004.
Ron Pierce drove C’mon C’mon C’mon to a 1:52.4 victory coming from off-the-pace for his fourth win of the season in a $16,500 Delaware Winners-Over pace. High Calibre N (Steve Warrington) was second with Tug River Jim (David Miller) third.
Ima Rustler Too and Jugular won $40,000 Claiming paces. Sam Jacobs and Crissman Inc.’s Im A Rustler Too gave Tony Morgan his first win of the night. The Rustler Hanover four-year-old was chased home by Jason William N (Steve Warrington) and Elegant Dreams (David Miller) in the first division. In the other, Jim King drove Susan Looney’s Jugular to a 1:53.1 success, easily beating Perfect Cam (Ron Pierce) and Winbak Hotshot (Brad Hanners) who finished second and third respectively.
Two $30,562 Matron Stakes Eliminations for 3-year-old filly pacers on TuesdayWeather permitting, nine of the 10 starters in the recent Breeders Crown Filly Pace Final, led by the winner, Belovedangel, will headline two $30,562 Matron Stakes Eliminations for 3-yeawr-old filly pacers on the Tuesday, December 6 program, on which Crossfire N will return in a $24,000 Open Handicap pace. Post time will be at 4:30 p.m. (EST).
To race in the first Matron Elimination, Belovedangel was a 13-1 upset winner of the Breeders Crown for driver Ron Pierce, and Bob Anderson and David Willmot’s Cabrini Hanover, who was burdened by drawing post 10 for Tuesday, raced gamely for Brian Sears and finished second in the Crown, beaten by only by a neck. Starmaker Farm’s Restive Hanover, teamed with Andy Miller, was the Crown favorite. Marvin Rounick’s West End, with George Brennan in the bike, was a second place finisher in a Crown elimination, and Digga Digga, owned by Marilyn and Ian Fromowitz, finished third in another Crown elimination, and will be driven on Tuesday by Pat Berry.
The other starters will be Congilose Racing Stable’s Secret Deal, with Tony Morgan driving, who will start from the rail, and David Goodrow Stable’s Roller Cam, to be handled by Brad Hanners, who will start from the outside post, number seven.
Chicago standout Fox Valley Zena, owned by Gies, Michelon and the Ervin Miller Stable, drew the rail and will have Andy Miller at the controls. Starting alongside that one will be another Mid-Western star, Corey, Haberger, and th eVirgil Morgan, Jr. Stable’s Chotat Milk, the richest starter in the field, having won $448,195 this year after a third place finish in the Breeders Crown Final, who will be driven by David Miller. Vandalay Racing’s highly regarded Maytime Hall is a nine-time winner this year and will be driven by Ron Pierce. The other starters will be Jill Roland and LaExpress Stable’s Tarport Erin, who will be steered by Sean Bier; Sandy Goldfarb and Regency Group Stable’s Modern Medicine, to be reined by Brian Sears; Gregg McNair and Ian Fleming’s Claires Apache, with Tony Morgan aboard; and Ron Mario’s Born Storyteller, who will be driven by Jonathan Roberts.
The first four finishers in each elimination will return next Tuesday, December 12, for the $183,375 final.
Also on the card, Wendy Crissman and 49 Racing Stables’ Crossfire N (Tony Morgan), the Dover Downs Horse of the Meet two years ago, will makes her debut at this meet in a $24,000 Mares’ Open. Last week, Shake Away, leased by trainer-driver Jim King, made her first start in two years and finished an impressive third. Always a contender is Joey White and Harness the Power’s Ann Other Porsche. Pacific Illusion, owned by Vicki Givens, Sharon White, and Louie Paglierani’s Pacific Illusion (Brandon Givens), who finished second in last week’s feature, will also start.
Rodney Mitchell’s Catcha Raider (George Dennis) and Charles Miller’s Tawny (Brad Hanners) are both newcomers; Jett Away (Tim Curtin), a top-class mare last year for George Brem, Mike Nichols, and Bob McGee, and the fast Donna’s Girl, owned by Claude Incaudo and Carol Okusko, are both quality opponents.