Multiple track records spark eight Matron finals at Dover
November 18, 2013,by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs
Dover, DE — The biggest night in Delaware racing history featured multiple track records in the eight Matron Stakes events with more than $1.32 million in purses at stake on Sunday (Nov. 17) at Dover Downs.
The first race produced a track record-equaling 1:53.2 for a 3-year-old filly trotter when Corey Callahan piloted Ma Chere Hall, trained by Jonas Czernyson, to a victory racing for $164,250. Owned by breeder Walnut Hall Ltd., Joe Sbrocco and Aldebaran Park Inc., the
Deweycheatumnhowe-Margarita Hall filly scored her ninth win in 15 starts this year, earning $443,669 in 2013 and $605,733 lifetime. Time To Kill (John Campbell) was runner-up with Déjà Vu Too (Matt Kakaley) third. The first to trot in 1:53.2 at three was Personal Style (Dave Miller) in last season’s Matron.
Matt Kakaley and All Bets Off lowered the track record for 2-year-old colt pacers to 1:50.
Matt Kakaley moved All Bets Off into the lead after a :26.1 opening quarter and was never headed, collecting a 1:50 triumph in the $154,575 Matron frosh colt pace final, breaking the former track mark of 1:50.4 shared by Heston Blue Chip and If I Can Dream. Stevensville (Tim Tetrick) finished second. Carracci Hanover (Yannick Gingras) was third. Ron Burke trains the winner for Frank Baldachino, Rosemary Shelswell, The Panhellenic Stable and Burke Racing Stable.
The impressive Nuncio knocked two seconds off Explosive Matter’s freshman mark of 1:55 with a powerful 1:53 decision in the $166,650 2-year-old male trot. John Campbell was at the controls as the Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle youngster record his fifth victory in nine starts, all wins or seconds. Scott Andrews conditions the winner for Stall TZ Inc. Skates N Plates (Simon Allard) was second in front of Don Dorado (Tim Tetrick).
Table Talk was the longshot of this season’s Matrons. A $3,500 yearling by Frank DiLiberto’s Wiz Kids Stable of Dover, Del., trained by Bart Dalious, the freshman pacing daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Place At The Table went off at 19-1 odds, then came between horses at the wire to score a 1:52 victory, two-fifths of a second off Hawaiian Drink’s track record. Ali Blue (Yannick Gingras), the race favorite, was a close second in a tight three horse photo with Tyra (Tim Tetrick) third.
Shake It Cerry was a 1:55.2 winner for driver Ron Pierce.
In the $140,100 Matron 2-year-old filly trot, Ron Pierce drove Shake It Cerry to a 1:55.2 conquest, her seventh victory in 10 races for trainer Jimmy Takter and Solveig’s Racing Partners. Ruby (Yannick Gingras) and Scream And Shout (Tim Tetrick) were second and third, respectively.
Vegas Vacation won the $160,388 sophomore colt and gelding pace, outlasting Sunshine Beach (John Campbell) in a stretch duel en route to a 1:48.3 score. Emeritus Maximus (Simon Allard) took third money. Casie Coleman conditions Vegas Vacation, a Bettor’s Delight-Don’t You Smile gelding owned by Phyllis Saunders, Tony Beaton, Adriano Sorella and West Wins Stable.
Shebestingin was at her best, scoring a 1:49.1 track record for a 3-year-old filly pacer, besting Ms Caila J Fra (Andy Miller) to the wire in a final quarter of :27.4. Summertime Lea (Yannick Gingras) was the show finisher. Joe Holloway trains the Bettor’s Delight-Armbro Tussle filly for Ted Gewertz, L&L DeVisser and Val D’or Farms. She won for the 11th time this season and has earned $554,926.
Fotowon photos
Shebestingin scored in a track record time of 1:49.1 for driver David Miller.
The last of the eight Matron finals, ther 3-year-old male trot, was a photo finish victory for Nick Cimino’s Smilin Eli and Tim Tetrick. The Muscles Yankee-Gerri’s Joy colt nipped Tirade Hanover (Yannick Gingras) and Possessed Fashion (Brian Sears) in 1:52.3 while going for a $153,225 purse. David Smith trains the winner who has banked $740,778.
Casino Bags Carlo (Vince Copeland), owned by Cavalli Pazzi Stable, scored a 1:54.4 win in the first leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund 2-year-old colt and gelding pace. John Hamstead’s Lewiebyalength (Corey Callahan) was a 1:55 winner and Karen Walls’ Elite Awards (George Dennis) was an easy 1:54 winner in the third division.
The filly paces went to Garnet O’Marrow’s homebred Seboomook Fool Yah (Allan Davis) in 1:55, George and Tina Dennis and The Wiz Kids’ I’m Won Rum Wiser (George Dennis) in 1:57 and Jeff Bartels’ Crushed Again (Vic Kirby), a 1:55.4 winner.
The eight Matron stakes, DSBF prelims and a $7,500 claiming pace were part of the highest purse day in Delaware racing history, with $1,326,863 over the 15-race card.
Corey Callahan, Allan Davis, George Dennis and The Wiz Kids Stable had two wins each during the program.