Dover: Threepointbluechip takes Matron final for 2YO male trotters

Threepointbluechip picked up his first career stakes victory by capturing Thursday afternoon's $179,200 Matron Stakes final for 2-year-old male trotters at Dover Downs. Threepointbluechip was supplemented to the event for $20,000 and made that decision pay off.

Driven by James MacDonald, Threepointbluechip showed speed from post two and moved out of third past the 28 4/5 opening quarter. He wrestled the lead away from Letsdoit S (Brian Sears) past that marker and continued to show the way through middle-half stations of 56 3/5 and 1:26.

On the far turn, Periculum (Mattias Melander) tried to move up to challenge Threepointbluechip from first-over, but he stalled out and then began to back up heading into the lane. Meanwhile, Threepointbluechip was strong, and he wouldn't let anybody reel him in, hitting the wire half a length to the good in 1:55. Slay (Andrew McCarthy) raced at or near the back of the pack on the inside from post eight, then rallied through the passing lane to finish second, and Esplosione (Dexter Dunn) turned a second-over trip into a third-place result.

"Pretty much the only thing I saw was the text from Anthony MacDonald wanting to know if I had room to take him for a week, so here he is," said winning trainer Jim King Jr. "The Valley Victory at the Meadowlands is where we go next."

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A Walner colt, Threepointbluechip is trained by King Jr. for owner Thestable Three Point Group. Threepointbluechip, who was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, sold for $115,000 at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale, has compiled a record of 3-0-0 from six starts, and has now pocketed $103,845. Sent off as the 9-2 third choice, Threepointbluechip, a half-brother to world champion Plunge Blue Chip [1:49 4/5, $1,576,176], paid $11.00 to win.