Dover: Test Of Faith brilliant from first-over in Matron for 3YO pacing fillies

Test Of Faith added another notch to her potential Horse of the Year resume by bagging the $129,000 Matron final for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday night at Dover Downs from first-up in 1:49 1/5.

Driver David Miller didn't leave extremely hard with Test Of Faith, settling in third from post two. Meanwhile, Scarlett Hanover (Tim Tetrick) was on fire from the pole position, carving out a 25 4/5 opening quarter and putting fellow Ron Burke trainee Blue Diamond Eyes (Yannick Gingras) into the pocket. Scarlett Hanover then put on the brakes in the second quarter, putting the half on the board in 55 seconds.

Before they exited the second turn, Miller went first-over with Test Of Faith, and she was able to get up into second as the tempo picked back up in a big way to the 1:21 2/5 three-quarters. Test Of Faith and Scarlett Hanover continued to duel around the final bend as well, with Blue Diamond Eyes tipping out into a second-over position midway through the turn.

In the lane Test Of Faith pushed past Scarlett Hanover for good, and although Blue Diamond Eyes gained on the far outside, it wasn't enough, as Test Of Faith reached the finish line half a length to the good. Scarlett Hanover held third over Thebeachiscalling (Brian Sears).

"The rail horse pushed off pretty hard, and I could've kept the two-hole closed, but you know what? I just didn't want to get caught up in a big half," said Miller. "She's pretty strong as long as I don't beat her up too bad.

"She still felt real comfortable, and I was just sitting there waiting until we got into the homestretch before I really asked her."

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Brett Pelling trains Test Of Faith, a daughter of Art Major bred by Fred Hertrich III, for owners Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran. Test Of Faith now has 22 wins and three seconds from 25 career appearances, and she has now pocketed $1,569,739. She was the 1-5 favorite and returned $2.60 to win.

"She's raced that way before. She's so honest and everything, they're going to try and find a way to beat her. We knew there'd be a big fraction going out of there, and I kind of guessed that's the way race would go," remarked Pelling. "She's shown us before that she can handle anything thrown at her. You're always worried, but she always gives her best. I think she's going to go to [Becky Brady of Kentuckiana Farms] home and sit in the paddock behind there for about the next two months, and then she'll come back to us again for next year.

"I think she deserves Horse of the Year. Her win/loss record is impeccable, and she's made the money. To me, she's probably dominated a single division more than any other horse."