Dover: Market Based's stock goes up following Matron victory

Market Based went down the road to win the $146,700 Matron Stakes final for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Thursday afternoon at Dover Downs in a life's-best 1:50 4/5.

Facing just three opponents and starting from the pole position, Market Based (Dexter Dunn) went to the top from the pole position and kept the field in post position order and single-file through stations of 27 1/5, 55, and 1:23 1/5.

Entering the last turn, 2-5 favorite Fourever Boy (Mike Wilder) tipped out of third, but he couldn't make any headway on Market Based, as the tempo-setter used a 27 3/5 last quarter to shut the door and to win by a pair of lengths. Fourever Boy got up for second over pocket-sitter Nautical Hanover (Todd McCarthy), and Atlas Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) rounded out the field.

"Earlier in the year when he really was sharp he ran a couple good miles. I think it was Pocono, maybe, he ran a really solid mile on the front-end," said Dunn. "With the short field, he had the draw, and we used it. He performed the rest."

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A Sweet Lou colt bred by owners Chuck Pompey, Edwin Gold, and Howard Taylor, Market Based is trained by Nancy Takter. He has four wins, a second, and a third from 12 attempts this year, and he pushed his bankroll to $226,459. The 8-5 second choice, Market Based paid $5.40 to win.

"He seems to like the five-eighths racing. He gets around the turns well, and like Dex said, he's got good early speed, so that obviously helps him control the pace a little bit," remarked Takter. "He definitely does like a shorter track, though.

"I was actually going to quit with him for the year, but maybe we'll race him in the Governor's Cup. We'll have to see how he comes out of this race, and we'll make plans from there."