Dover also hosts 3 Matrons

On a rain drenched, windy Sunday, Nov. 12, at Dover Downs, just before the $348,900 Progress Pace, the rain stopped, the wind slowed and the home-state horse, Total Truth responded with a front-pacing 1:52.2 victory. Trotters Algiers Hall and Queen Serene won the Matron sophomore trots while Caviart Sydney pulled a stunning upset.

Hall of Fame driver Ron Pierce left at the start and taxied Total Truth into the lead on the first quarter turn in :27.1. The pair continued to control the pace the rest of the way after a mild challenge from stablemate Western Ace, with Brian Sears at the controls and Armbro Deuce, driven by Jody Jamieson, who held on to finish third with Perfect Union and David Miller taking second place money.

"Total Truth has been good all year," said winning driver Pierce. "He had some stumbling blocks along the way, but he's as good now as he's been."

Total Truth is the highest money-earning 3 year old and the richest pacer of the year in the sport. He has earned $1,432,925 this year and more than $1.5 million in his two years of racing.

"He's been good all year," remarked co-owner and trainer George Teague, who shares ownership with Only Money Inc. and his sister, Brenda. "Total Truth will be back in two weeks here at Dover for the Matron Stakes, and I plan to race him and Western Ace, my other colt, next season."

Upsets continued in Matron events. A 17-1 shot, Caviart Sydney, made up a world of ground in the stretch to catch and stick her nose in front at the wire in 1:52.1 to win the $181,450 Matron 3-Year-Old Filly final. Pierce drove the Dragon Again homebred filly for Caviart Farms of Vienna, Va., to only her second victory of the year.

"I thought that she may have been third best, before the race," said Pierce in the winner's circle. "But she was really coming on in the stretch."

At the head of the lane, My Little Dragon appeared on the way to paydirt but a :28.3 dash through the lane was not good enough for the odds-on favorite driven by Brian Sears.

In the $137,176 Filly Trot, Queen Serene made the favorite players happy as trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer moved her strongly on the outside down the backstretch to take the lead and then opened up a big lead in the stretch and crossed the finish line uncontested in 1:56. Another Smedshammer-trainee, Emantee, with Sears, held off fast-finishing Buck I St. Pat and Dave Palone by a head to take second-place money. The victory was the sixth of the season for the Dream Vacation filly owned by Timo Yli Panula of Pompano Beach, Fla. Queen Serene has now won $384.560 this year.

Algiers Hall, who set a 1:53.2 world record over a five-eighths mile oval winning his Matron elim, scored a 1:56 triumph in the $209,250 Colt final. Trainer-driver John Stark Jr. owns the Conway Hall colt with fellow upstate New Yorkers Ed and Dave Smith and Tom McTygue, who notched their ninth win of the year with the New York Sire Stakes champion. Algiers Hall and Here Comes Herbie, with Jody Jamieson driving, waged a backstretch long head-to-head battle before Algiers Hall pulled away to victory. Here Comes Herbie held on for second with Linkeabatoutahell and Smedshammer finishing third. (Dover Downs)

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