by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs
DOVER, Del. —At least in Delaware there is a ‘pot o’ gold’ at the end of the Rainbow, Rainbow Blue. The charismatic Rainbow Blue is the 2004 ‘Cinderella’ story winning the $159,675 Matron Stakes Three-year-Old Filly Pace championship, her 19th win in 20 races in a “fairy tale” year, on Monday, Nov. 15 at Dover Downs.
Driver Ron Pierce left the starting gate and pointed Rainbow Blue straight-ahead. They passed the first quarter in :26.3 with Artbitration, owned by Tom Klosky and Norm Parker, on her flank. Rainbow Blue moved to the half in :54 and as Artbiration tired, George Brennan roared up on the outside driving Marvin Rounick’s Glowing Report but to no avail. At the three-quarters in 1:22.2, it was a two-filly race with Rainbow Blue holding a 1- length advantage. There was no contest in the stretch with Rainbow Blue drawing off to a 2-length victory in 1:51, a track record for age, gender and gait.
Glowing Report finished second, sending her career earnings into seven figures. Dumain, Kutil and Baldachino’s L Dees Val was 13-lengths back in third. Paint Creek Farms’ R Burning Desire (Brian Sears) finished fourth.
A $10,500 yearling purchase from the Winbak Farm consignment at the 2002 Fall Classic Sale, Rainbow Blue, “the Delaware Darling” has now won 25 of 27 career races earning $1,178,684 for owners Brenda and trainer George Teague racing as Teague Inc. and K&R Racing, the nom de course for their Houston, Del. patrons Kevin and Ron Fry. The 1:51 clocking is two-fifths of a second off the world record on a five-eighths mile track set earlier this season by another Delaware bred and owned sophomore Just Chilln Out in the Arden Downs Stake at the Meadows, August 1.
Trainer Teague says that Rainbow Blue will now get a rest and be back to the track in early 2005. “I’ll look over the racing schedule and make plans for when she comes back racing,” he says.
“I raced [former world champion filly] Shady Daisy [in the early 1990s],” says driver Pierce, a Hall of Fame electee, ” and I never thought I’d ever get to race a filly better than her. Rainbow Blue has to be the greatest filly I’ve ever seen.”
On the non-stakes portion of the program, Ashlee’s Big Guy, driven by Tim Curtin, came on with a rush to nip front-pacing Soho (Brad Hanners) in the final strides to score a 1:52.4 victory in a $28,000 Preferred Pace. The 2002 Pacing Classic winner was overlooked at 20-1 scoring his seventh win of the season for owners Tom Dillon, Walter Hight and Crystal Ball Stable. Bay Sign (Jon Roberts) turned in a big trip racing outside for more than a half mile and still held on for third beaten by three-quarters of a length.
Jim King Jr. steered 13-1 Lamaze Hanover to his second straight win in 1:53 to win the $27,000 Delaware Special. Owned by Helen Looney and JoAnn King, the win was the third in five starts for the Life Sign four-year-old. My Cap N (Brian Sears) and Jacksbrotherjoe (Jim Morand) were second and third respectively.
Dan and Tom Courtemanche’s Morning Magic won a tight 1:53.4 photo for driver David Miller to win the $23,000 Open Handicap Pace. Cornas (Jim King Jr.) and front pacing Master This (Brian Sears) were in the final picture separated by noses. Master This had won his last six starts this season.
Kirwan’s Reward N, owned and trained by Peter Tritton, also won another tight finish with Steve Warrington driving the 1:52.1 winner. Smokey Range N (David Miller) was runner up. Doctor Rich (Eddie Davis) led until the final steps and finished third.
Warrington returned to the winner’s circle guiding Racsan John, owned by Don Hawk, John Hynansky and trainer Dan Warrington, to a wire-to-wire 1:53 win. The Ides Of March (Ross Wolfenden) closed strongly between horses for second. Scootin Scholar (Les Givens) was third.
Next Flight, the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund three-year-old champion returned to the winner’s circle after a strong finishing 1:52.4 victory in the $15,000 Delaware Winners-Over Pace. Ron Pierce drove the win for Bell Bauman, the Henry Faragalli’s, Jr. and III, and trainer Del Cote. BJ’s Breeze (Brian Sears) cut the mile just missing to finish second in front of Fox Valley Michael (Jim Morand).
Matron Stakes to be featured on Tuesday The $298,000 Matron Stakes Final for freshman pacer and a $23,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap pace will be the Tuesday, November 16 features at Dover Downs. Post time for the Matron Stakes will be 4:10 p.m. (EDT), and with the Daily Double will start at 4:30 p.m. Only five lightly raced colts were entered in the Matron Stakes for 2-year-old colt pacers, and it will be contested as a non-wagering race that will lead a 16 race program. In the Matron Stakes, Eleven AM will be the most seasoned starter. The Bruce Saunders’ trainee has won four times, finished second twice, and third once in 10 starts and has banked $215,185 for the Berry Stables. Ron Pierce will drive him and they will leave from post position one. A Perfect World Enterprises’ entrant, Speed Demon, boasts two wins and $131,906 earnings, and the Brett Pelling-conditioned colt will be reined by Brian Sears. A local contender will be Roddy’s Bags Again, owned by Bob Messick, of Milford, Del. and trained by Tim Torbert, and who will be driven by Cat Manzi. Syncro’s Z Tam, owned by MJGB Racing and trainer-driver Pat Lachance, and John Campbell will drive Kal Liebowitz, Doug Kamm, and Marc Rubach’s Keither. The meets first $23,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap was won last week by last year’s Horse of the Meet, Wendy Crissman and 49 Racing Stables’ Crossfire N (Mike Cole), who went wire-to-wire and won in 1:562. William Moffett’s Nuclear Power (Eddie Davis, Jr.) finished second last week and will start from post position nine in the second tier. Cams Little Imp N (Brad Hanners), owned Lester Walls and Jack Upchurch, should benefit from moving to an inside post. Wilson Clark and trainer Jeff Clark’s Rondel Franco N (Hal Belote), Carol Karter’s Kadijah (Steve Warrington), and Carter Racing’s Felicity (Ross Wolfenden) are Open regulars. Trillium Racing’s Whiteley’s Scooter (Jim Raymer) will arrive from Woodbine, and Prinz, Smith and Fortino’s Turn It Off (Ron Pierce) are newcomers to the field, which will include one 3-year-old starter, Love Lace Mindale (Bobby Reeser), who is owned by Richard Roberts and Richard Crammer. Another co-feature will be a $15,500 winners-over pace for mares, which has attracted two former Horses of the Meet — Jeff Franklin’s Rain Dance Kin (Travis Bowman) and the Toby Lynch, Jr.-owned, trained, and driven Roses Best. Cantwell Bride Stable’s Payton Place (Brad Hanners) and Fred Hertrich III’s new arrival, Silver Dialing (Jim Morand), each won their previous start. 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.