Trainer Chris Ryder has had a solid year in the male 2-year-old pacing ranks. His This Is The Plan drew post three in Thursday’s $211,300 Matron Stakes at Dover Downs and the trainer is optimistic about his chances. “None of my horses got over the track at Hoosier,” Ryder said from Harrisburg where he had purchased a yearling on opening day. This Is The Plan, a gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, enters the Matron off a fifth-place finish in the Breeders Crown that turned into a sixth-place finish after disqualification. “I can’t explain that last line,” said Ryder. “I got him back home and he trained very well for this race.” First or second in eight of his dozen freshman appearances, This Is The Plan captured the Metro consolation earlier this year and then was sharp at The Red Mile winning in stakes action the first week and then losing a photo in a 1:50 mile the second time around. Ryder’s charge will have company on Thursday with the 8-horse Matron field top-heavy in talent. Breeders Crown runner-up Shnitzledosomethin, an Indiana-bred son of Fred And Ginger, has been razor sharp for trainer Dylan Davis and could be the post time favorite after drawing post five. Peter Wrenn has been his regular driver at Hoosier and he’s coming east to stick with the talented juvenile that has six wins in 12 starts and $329K banked this year. Shnitzledosomethin drew post five. Closing Statement, another multiple-stakes winning son of Somebeachsomewhere, drew post seven in the Matron with trainer Joe Holloway looking to see his colt improve upon his third-place finish in the Breeders Crown finale. There have been times this year where Nutcracker Sweet appeared to belong with the elite class. A well-bred son of Bettor’s Delight that posted back-to-back victories in stakes action at The Red Mile, came up short and failed to qualify for the Breeders Crown. His assignment on Thursday has been made tougher with the post eight draw. Jimmy Takter trains Nutcracker Sweet. The homebred Karpathian Kid (post 1) was an impressive Breeders Crown elimination winner but took on serious pressure in the final and faded. More than likely trainer Erv Miller will have the colt ready for battle as he looks to regain winning form. For trainer Ryder, the Matron finds This Is The Plan right next to his former stablemate Springsteen. The latter had been campaigned through appearances in the Sheppard and Metro this season by Ryder before being purchased in Kentucky for a sizeable amount. “Rene Allard had been after me all year to sell this horse,” said Ryder. “It’s a tough decision to make since I’m in the business of racing good horses. But it would have been difficult to turn down the last offer. My dad was always a seller and I know if I had turned down that offer he would be rolling in his grave.” So Springsteen, a son of Rock N Roll Heaven, will be making his third start for the Allard stable since the purchase. Springsteen did win an overnight event at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on October 22 in 1:52, his first career victory. The competition will be elevated on Thursday since the Pocono start came in a non-winners of one event. “The first time we raced him he was pulling too hard in the hole and he choked himself (cut off his air),” said Allard about a seventh-place finish in his first start with the colt on October 7 at The Red Mile. “We made some equipment changes and raced him at Pocono in (1):52, home in 27 (seconds). I was really happy with how he performed. “If we didn’t think he had a chance I wouldn’t have put him in. I don’t like to race just to race. I think the colt has some talent. With a little bit of luck we’ll get some money,” said Allard about his chances with the 10-1 morning line shot. Rounding out the Matron field is Lather Up (post 2) an Ohio-bred that showed flashes of brilliance in the Buckeye State this year but has not raced competitively since August. Montrell Teague drives the son of I’m Gorgeous. Wes Delight (post 6) has been a consistent colt in stakes action this year. His best performance was likely a third-place finish in the $252,000 PaSS Championship in September. Mark Harder trains the son of Bettor’s Delight. Ryder suggested he’ll enter This Is The Plan in the Governor’s Cup at The Meadowlands (eliminations on November 18) but that I’m A Big Deal, another son of Somebeachsomewhere, was done for the season. “He raced great in Kentucky but just didn’t handle the track well in Indiana and wasn’t any good at The Meadowlands the other night,” said Ryder of the expensive yearling purchased a year ago. Dover’s 13-race program on Thursday begins at 4:30 p.m. with the juvenile pacing colt and gelding division carded as race 10.