by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — After going 10-for-10 and winning the Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old female pacer a horse can set herself up to look disappointing in the eyes of others in the years to come.

After all, how do you top perfection?

Pure Country may not have been flawless this year, but she is heading into Thursday’s (Nov. 10) $148,400 Matron Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers at Dover Downs — her final event of the year — with numbers most connections would kill for.

“It’s been good,” said owner Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Racing. “She’s won the majority of the major (stakes) finals and made a million dollars, so it’s kind of hard to complain. When she gets her race and she can grind them out, she’s not going to lose. Even though we ended up fourth in the Breeders Crown, I think you have to pat yourself on the back and say it was a hell of a year.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Pure Country has won nine of 20 starts in 2016 and hit the board in 16 of them for total earnings of $1,008,230.

It sure was.

Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Brett Miller, Pure Country has won nine of 20 starts in 2016 and hit the board in 16 of them for total earnings of $1,008,230. That’s $318,262 more than she won as a 2-year-old when she was perfect.

Perfection is a blessing and a curse, as some people might figure if the horse didn’t lose in 10 starts last year, she would have to do the same this season or be considered a disappointment.

Bowden, however, was not one of those people.

“The expectations are put on by everyone else,” he said. “We knew what type of filly we had. We knew she was going to get beat at some point. It may have been a relief that she lost her first start and the pressure was off. Then she went on and won five in a row (from June 18 to July 23) and had a very good year.”

Pure Country faced male competition twice this year, finishing fourth in the Cane Pace and second in the Milstein Memorial behind Betting Line, a horse that won 14 of 15 races and $1.46 million.

“Post position was a little bit of an issue (in the Cane Pace),” Bowden said. “But it’s hard to complain when you’re second to Betting Line.”

The filly won her Breeders Crown elimination race before finishing just out of the money in the final.

“It was maybe not her style, but that’s horse racing,” Bowden said about the filly’s trip in the final. “You can’t win them all.”

Pure Country’s wins this year included the Fan Hanover Stakes, Miss Pennsylvania, Lynch Memorial, Simcoe and a division of the Glen Garnsey.

And while there were some high-profile rivalries in other age groups this season, Pure Country forged an impressive battle for bragging rights with Darlinonthebeach. The two faced each other 14 times this year, with Pure Country winning seven and Darlinonthebeach taking four. (Call Me Queen Be won the remaining three.) They finished 1-2 four times, with Pure Country winning three.

“I think (this group of fillies) is well above average,” Bowden said. “In fact, it could be even above that. Three-year-old fillies are kind of the black sheep of racing. They never get the credit they deserve, but the rivalry she had with Darlinonthebeach was fantastic. Those are two great fillies and then you add in Call Me Queen Be and L A Delight, it’s a great group.”

Pure Country is the 5-2 second choice on the Matron morning line, behind 2-1 L A Delight. A win on Thursday would give Pure Country consecutive seasons with double-figure victories and would be a great way to cap off another strong season.

“And then we’ll race her again next year,” Bowden said. “Hopefully she’s back at the top of her game. I think if she’s on her game and has her type of trip at the Matron she’ll be right there, whether she’s first or second.”

Thursday’s card at Dover Downs also includes Matron Stakes for 3-year-old female trotters, where Hambletonian Oaks winner All The Time is the 6-5 morning line favorite; 3-year-old male trotters, with Dayson the 5-2 choice; and 3-year-old male pacers, where Breeders Crown champ Racing Hill is the 5-2 pick.

Click here for complete entries for the Thursday Dover card.