by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs
DOVER, Del. —The super year of Ron Pierce continued on Thursday, Nov. 18 at Dover Downs. Pierce drove 16-1 Jailhouse Joey to a 1:55.2 victory to win the $258,214 Matron Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot. It was the Hall of Fame elect Pierce’s fourth Matron win of the season.
Breeders Crown winner Yankee Slide was the odds-on favorite after winning his $38,868 Matron elim by almost 5-lengths last week. Driver Brian Sears got Yankee Slide away quickly and found a spot fourth as Trond Smedshammer moved ENS Crescendo into the lead at the quarter in :27.2. Pierce moved out Jailhouse Joey to take the lead. Meanwhile Sears began to moved Yankee Slide to the outside, when the colt suddenly broke stride. That opened the race up and Pierce responded with Jailhouse Joey.
Passing the half, John Campbell drove Katz, Thomas, Fink and Berto Stable’s Justice Hall up to challenge. The trotters raced head-to-head along the backstretch before Justice Hall wilted and Jailhouse Joey moved on. In the stretch Ted Gewertz and American Viking’s ENS Crescendo stormed down the lane for Trond Smedshammer to finish second with Al Dente Hanover, driven by David Miller for Ken Klein and Old Block Stables, the third place finisher. Einari Kalle Vidgren’s Solomon Blue Chip, piloted by Cat Manzi, took fourth money. Fifth place, the final payoff spot, went to Bill and Leslie Zendt’s Dream Photo Kosmos, reined by Dave Palone.
Jailhouse Joey is the second 2004 Matron winner for trainer Brett Pelling and the fourth Matron champion driven by Pierce. Pelling and Pierce combined last Saturday when Fast Ruffles set a 1:52.4 track record, one-fifth second off the world record, winning the $189,225 Matron Two-Year-Old Filly Pace. Pierce then guided the ‘Delaware Darling,’ Rainbow Blue to her 19th win in 20 starts winning the $159,675 Matron Three-Year-Old Pace, also in track record time of 1:51, one-fifth of a second from the world record. Pierce registered his third Matron winner steering Mystical Sunshine to a 155.4 triumph in the $220,050 Matron Three-Year-Old Filly Trot. Pierce’s Matron winning purses push his seasonal leading money total to near $12,000,000.
In addition to winning the Matron Filly Final, Pierce also made the winner’s circle guiding Trillium Racing Stable’s Rickie to a 1:55.2 win in the overnight feature. Rickie returned to the winner’s circle for the third time in four starts as Pierce steered the altered son of SJ’s Photo to a 1:55.2 victory in the $22,000 Open Handicap Trot. Rickie had to fight off a determined challenge from Zizi’s Comet from the before the half until the reaching the final turn before pulling off for the win. Tequila Daddy (John Campbell) closed well to finish second. R Little Am Lo (Eddie Davis Jr.) finished third.
In the $15,500 Winners-Over Trot, Love You Most altered her racing style and it paid off for her second consecutive win. This time Eddie Dennis sat second with the Yankee Glide five-year-old mare and then moved to the outside on the final turn brushing quickly into the lead and an eased up 1:55.4 triumph. Pretty Goal Vita (Jim King Jr.) was second best. Private Pennant (Mark Lancaster) finished third.
Nick Callahan’s Life Moves On dropped into a $20,000 Claiming Pace and scored a 1:54 victory with Brian Sears in the bike. Prince Of Flight N (Roger Plante) came on in the stretch to finish second.
In the 10th race, immediately after the Matron Final, two drivers went down in a racing accident . Fieldstone Rodney, driven by Eddie Davis Jr., broke harness equipment after the half mile, resulting in nearby horses, Blackjack Mac and Sakrafaction tosssing drivers Ross Wolfenden and Daryl Bier to the track. Davis Jr. was unhurt. After being taken to a nearby hospital, Wolfenden was released with a minor shoulder injury while Bier was given a cautionary neck brace.
Two $14,000 paces Saturday; quadruple features on Sunday A $14,500 and a $14,000 winners-over pace will top the first day of the Dover Downs meet which does not feature a stakes, on Saturday, November 20, and a $40,000 claiming pace and a $13,500 race will top this Sunday card. Weekend post time will be 5:30 p.m. (EDT). Triple The Money (Ross Wolfenden) will look to extend a four race win streak when he meets eight rivals in a $14,500 feature race on Saturday. The Threefold gelding will make his second start for his new Delaware connections, owners Sam Jacobs and Eltrita Annett. Chief threats include Parker Callahan’s Beware Beret, a 1:541 winner last week, and Cookie Dough Boy (Jim Morand), leased by JoAnn and Joe Thomson, who won in 1:551 last Sunday. And Cantwell Bridge Stable’s new arrival, On Track (Brad Hanners), will make his first local start. Then, Lester Walls and Jack Upchurch’s Go Flyin N (Brad Hanners), a winner of five races, will lead eight staters in a $14,000 winners-over pace. Gemini Racing’s Robert Henry (Jim Morand) and Dale Wootten’s Ace Of Arts (Roger Plante) drew inside post positions. On Sunday, Allamerican Knight (Kevin Sizer) will look for his third straight win in a $13,500 feature pace. His chief opposition will come from the Tar Heel Stable’s Iwannabesedated (Brad Hanners) and Crystal Art (Ross Wolfenden), owned by Franklin, the Lahams, and Crystal Ball Stable. Also on the card will be a $12,500 Delaware-owned pace led by Carter Racing Stable’s Son Ofa Witch N (Bobby Myers), Al Moor and J&E Stable’s Snickers Hanover (Eddie Davis, Jr.), and a newcomer, Gemini Racing’s Iced Yankee (Kevin Sizer). A $40,000 claiming allowance pace will feature two winners from last weekend’s card: Gary Wolf’s Wynfield Ownings (Travis Bowman) and Cantwell Bridge Stable’s Lar’s Legacy (Brad Hanners). Dover Downs has added a Pick 4 to its wagering format, and it will be featured on the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh races each day, and a fifth Superfecta has been added to the track’s daily, six-day-a-week, 15 race schedule. Superfectas will be offered on the third, fifth, ninth, 13th, and 15th races. Simulcasting from major harness and Thoroughbred tracks is featured daily, from noon until midnight (EST). Again this year, Dover Downs will race on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and on Monday through Thursday, post time will be at 4:30 p.m. There is no charge for parking and admission. Reservations are suggested for the Winner’s Circle Restaurant. Call (302) 674-4600.