Six millionaires set for Matron Stakes showdown

DOVER, Del. — Six millionaires are slated to take part in Thursday’s (Nov. 12) Grade 2 Matron Stakes for 3-year-olds at Bally’s Dover, with a quartet of them headlining the $124,800 Hap Hansen Matron, for sophomore male pacers.

The Hansen, carded as the 12th race on a 15-race program, will see Al Papi, Melillo, Odds On Mr Mamba and Fragment all look to build on their already stout bankrolls.

Al Papi, installed the 5-2 morning line favorite, enters off a game first-over victory in the Grade 2 Monument Circle at Harrah’s Hoosier Park following his second-place finish to Brandon Blvd in the Grade 1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Regular driver Yannick Gingras will pilot the Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy colt, who has won 10 races and earned $1,584,620, from post 2.

Al Papi is one of four Ron Burke trainees in the Hansen, along with Melillo, whose eight wins include the Grade 2 Carl Milstein Memorial and this year’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship. A winner of $1,271,469, the Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose colt will start from post 4 as the 7-2 morning line second choice with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the lines.

The other two seven-figure earners in the field are Grade 1 Pepsi North America Cup winner Odds On Mr Mamba, whom Dexter Dunn will drive from post 5 for trainer Melanie Wrenn, and Messenger and two-time New York Sire Stakes champ Fragment, whom Jason Partlett will drive from post 8 for trainer Petter Engblom.

Breeders Crown winner Diabolic Hill will look for his fourth consecutive win in the $124,200 Matron for 3-year-old male trotters, carded as race 10. The Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream colt has been installed the 5-2 morning line favorite on the strength of his lifetime-best 1:50.4 win in the Breeders Crown, and Todd McCarthy will once again drive the earner of $1,081,167 for trainer Annie Stoebe.

Among his top rivals are New York Sire Stakes champ AI (Dexter Dunn, post 6, 7-2), who makes his debut for Marcus Melander, and Minoan (Andy McCarthy, post 7, 9-2), who finished third in the Grade 1 Hambletonian.

Jugette winner Loua Dipa rounds out the sextet of millionaires, installed as the 5-2 morning line choice in the $103,000 Matron for sophomore fillies, carded as race 8. The Sweet Lou-Looksgoodinaromper filly has won 16 of her 26 career starts on her way to $1,352,618 in earnings to date, and Wrenn will again drive her for Burke from post 2 after they teamed up for a 1:49 win in the Grade 3 USS Indianapolis at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Jugette runner-up Darlin’s Angel (Lauren Tritton, post 5, 7-2) and Adioo Volo and New Jersey Classic winner Be Perfect BG (Louis-Philippe Roy, post 6, 9-2) are among the other main contenders.

The complete fields for Thursday’s Matron Stakes for 3-year-olds, with post positions, drivers, trainers and morning line odds:

$171,400 Grade 2 Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Filly Trot (Race 6)

1. Chestnut Kelly (Captain Corey) (Tim Tetrick/Scott DiDomenico) 12
2. Julie Palema (Walner) (Andy Miller/Julie Miller) 8
3. Ginger Tree Lex (Bar Hopping) (Andy McCarthy/Sam Beegle) 10
4. Custom (Walner) (Jason Bartlett/Petter Engblom) 5-2
5. R Ro (Chapter Seven) (Todd McCarthy/John Butenschoen) 6
6. Who Dares Wins (Chapter Seven) (Åke Svanstedt/Åke Svanstedt) 12
7. Little Road (Fordham Road) (Brady Brown/Roger Hammer) 7-2
8. Storybook Love (Chapter Seven) (Todd Ratchford/Matthew Bax) 9-2

$103,000 Grade 2 Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Filly Pace (Race 8)

1. Two Twenty Swift (Huntsville) (Jason Bartlett/Deborah Daguet) 10
2. Loua Dipa (Sweet Lou) (Ronnie Wrenn Jr./Ron Burke) 5-2
3. Say Goodnight (Papi Rob Hanover) (Tim Tetrick/Nicholas DeVita) 8
4. Liberty Style (American Ideal) (Art Stafford Jr./Andrew Stafford) 12
5. Darlin’s Angel (Captaintreacherous) (Lauren Tritton/Juan Cano) 7-2
6. Be Perfect BG (Perfect Sting) (Louis-Philippe Roy/Tony Beaton) 9-2
7. Existential (Huntsville) (Dexter Dunn/Scott DiDomenico) 12
8. She’s A Bulldog (Bulldog Hanover) (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke) 6

$124,200 Grade 2 Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Male Trot (Race 10)

1. Highball Hanover (Bar Hopping) (Brandon Givens/Wayne Givens) 12
2. Captain Jordan (Captain Corey) (Tim Tetrick/Scott DiDomenico) 8
3. Kingmen (Walner) (Jason Bartlett/Petter Engblom) 12
4. Jim Beam (Captain Corey) (Yannick Gingras/Scott DiDomenico) 6
5. Diabolic Hill (Muscle Hill) (Todd McCarthy/Annie Stoebe) 5-2
6. AI (Chapter Seven) (Dexter Dunn/Marcus Melander) 7-2
7. Minoan (Bar Hopping) (Andy McCarthy/Noel Daley) 9-2
8. Yankee Boost (Walner) (Louis-Philippe Roy/Tom Shay) 10

$124,800 Grade 2 Hap Hanson Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Male Pace (Race 12)

1. Watch Em Win (Hes Watching) (Tim Tetrick/Ron Burke) 12
2. Al Papi (Papi Rob Hanover) (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke) 5-2
3. Toast Of The Town (Sweet Lou) (Louis-Philippe Roy/Noel Daley) 12
4. Melillo (Sweet Lou) (Ronnie Wrenn Jr./Ron Burke) 7-2
5. Odds On Mr Mamba (Odds On Equuleus) (Dexter Dunn/Melanie Wrenn) 6
6. Callmebigpapi (Papi Rob Hanover) (Todd McCarthy/Ron Burke) 10
7. Gentleman’s Club (Downbytheseaside) (Andy McCarthy/Aaron Lambert) 9-2
8. Fragment (Huntsville) (Jason Bartlett/Petter Engblom) 8

First post for the Thursday card at Bally’s Dover, which also includes three $20,000 second-round splits of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund series for 2-year-old male pacers and a $27,500 Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace, is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

For more information, visit www.ballysdover.com.