Belovedangel, Born Storyteller take Matron Filly Pace elims
December 6, 2005,by Marv Bachrad, Dover Downs Publicity Director
Fotowon
Belovedangel passed odds-on favorite Cabrini Hanover in the stretch to claim a 1:52.4 victory in the first of two Matron Stakes elims for 3-year-old filly pacers.
Belovedangel, overlooked at 5-1, continued her late Fall success story chasing odds-on favorite Cabrini Hanover and Brian Sears for most of the mile and then Ron Pierce took the Canadian–owned daughter of Artsplace to the outside at the top of the lane and blew past for a 1:52.4 victory in the first of two elims. Cabrini Hanover hung on to finish second in front of West End, with George Brennan in the bike. Digga Digga, driven by Pat Berry, made next week’s final by finishing fourth.
Fotowon
Born Storyteller, a Badlands Hanover filly and no stranger to Dover Downs fans, pulled a stunning 20-1 upset in the second $30,562 elim.
In the $24,000 Mares Open Pace, Tony Morgan moved Crystal Ball Stable’s Donna’s Girl three wide at the three–quarters to pass battling leaders Ann Other Porsche (Brian Sears) and Tawny (Brad Hanners). Donna’s Girl, a four-year-old daughter of Village Jove, then opened up a 2-length lead turning for home but needed all of the :28.3 final quarter to hold off Pacific Illusion (Brandon Givens) and Shake Away (Jim King) in the stretch.
VIVID PHOTO, STRONG YANKEE RENEW RIVALRY IN $66,337 MATRON ELIM
Vivid Photo, Hambletonian winner, and Strong Yankee, Breeders Crown champion, renew their rivalry in the $66,337 Matron Stakes Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot elimination on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Dover Downs. Post Time is 4:30 p.m. A $25,000 Open trot is the non-stake headliner.
A field of 11 start in the Matron elim, eight who raced in the recent Breeders Crown, including Strong Yankee Stable’s Strong Yankee, the 2004 Matron and track record holder at two, with Brian Sears driving the $1.1 million winner of his last five races. The Muscles Yankee colt will leave from post 11 in the second tier. Vivid Photo, a winner of $1.4 million this season for Todd Schadel and trainer-driver Roger Hammer, drew outside post 8 on the gate. Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband’s Sir Perseverance, with George Brennan driving, third in the Breeders Crown Final, has post 1 with Clearaway and Tony Morgan driving for Ray Schnittker, Frank Baldassare and Steve Demeter, alongside.
The other contenders are Takter, Nojaim and the Smiths’ Muscle Memory, with Cat Manzi, American Viking Racing’s Brazen, with Trond Smedshammer in the bike, McDuffee, Liverman, Fielding and Enzed Racing’s Musclesextrodinair reined by David Miller, Lonestar Kosmos, owned by R.Rosenheim Stables and Kosmos Horse Breeders, with Dave Palone, Jarris, Paul and Long’s American National winner Magic Swan with Andy Miller, Paul Kinnear and Doug Hutchins’ Maximum Return, handled by the sport’s leading dash win driver this year, Cat Manzi, and David Miller Jr.’s Smooth Muscles with Mike Wilder.
The top eight finishers return next Wednesday for the $199,013 final.
In the regular program feature, Dan and Tom Courtemanche’s Jakes Nordic (Tim Curtin) is riding a two-race win streak. Jan and Douglas Snyder’s Columbus Hanover (Kevin Sizer) and Paul McDougall and WJ McDougall Racing’s Broke As Usual (Tony Morgan) have finished second and third two weeks in a row.
Moving up after an impressive victory is Dittmar, Iaquita and Ken and Betsy Woods’ Mighty Moses (Jim Morand). Midway Stable’s Coerfurst (Brad Hanners) is back after a week off, Fred and Anita Fialkow’s Rattlesnake Jake will start from post position 3 (George Dennis) and Three Point Aces’ Schemin N Dreamin (Brian Sears) leaves from the rail.