Meadowlands: When Dovescry figures to have big say in Miss Versatility

Trainer Brett Pelling has found it difficult to find races for When Dovescry this year. Fortunately, the 5-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill has made two starts this year, both at the Meadowlands in the Miss Versatility Series. When Dovescry looks for her second 2021 victory as the Miss Versatility Series moves into its third round Saturday at the Meadowlands with a pair of $30,000 divisions.

Last year, Pelling took over the training of When Dovescry, and the mare proved a top stakes performer against a rugged group of veteran mares, finishing on-the-board in six of her nine starts. This year, she lost her first start on May 8 to Next Level Stuff in the first round of the Miss Versatility but was able to hang up a win on May 29, going wire-to-wire for driver David Miller in 1:54.

"It took a while to get her into this condition but I'm very happy where we are now," said Pelling of When Dovescry. "She's just been rock solid."

Consistency can take you a long way in this sport and for When Dovescry, the 2019 Hambletonian Oaks champ with more than $1.1 million in career earnings, finishing on-the-board is something that generally happens when she's entered. In her fourth year of racing, When Dovescry has only finished off-the-board three times in 31 career starts.

On Saturday, Miller has the driving assignment again, and When Dovescry will go to battle against two-leg winner Next Level Stuff. The mares are side-by-side in the draw for Saturday's eighth race, with When Dovescry landing post five and her rival getting number four.

This field also includes last year's Hambletonian Oaks champion Sorella (post two), who has been a runner-up in both legs of this series for trainer Nancy Takter.

Ab'sattitudexpress is yet another 4-year-old in this division with a preliminary leg victory (May 8) for trainer Lucas Wallin. Ab'sattitudexpress landed post three in the field.

The first Miss Versatility division, scheduled as the opener to the 13-race card, finds Manchego (post seven) stepping down in class to some degree after a pair of hard-earned victories against male competition in her first two starts of 2021. A 6-year-old by Muscle Hill, Manchego had to race overland in both of her starts this year but proved more than up to the task with a sensational 1:51 1/5 mile in the Cutler (May 15) at the Meadowlands and then followed that up by sweeping off cover in the Maxie Lee (May 30) at Harrah's Philadelphia in a powerhouse performance. With $2.8 million in the bank, Manchego has a distinct class edge over her seven female rivals on Saturday night.

Pelling is hopeful that Allywag Hanover will continue his winning form in the $35,000 Preferred pacing feature on Saturday's Big M program. Allywag Hanover surprised some with a 7-1 upset in last week's Graduate leg at the Meadowlands, but Pelling was not among the surprised.

"It usually takes my horses about four or five starts to reach peak form," Pelling said.

The 4-year-old Allywag Hanover was assigned the pole position as the lone horse of that age grouping in the field of quality veteran performers.

"There's a big difference racing against the aged horses," said Pelling. "Horses like American History can just hit three-quarters in 1:20 and still come home in 27 flat."

Whether Allywag Hanover can make the adjustment against American History (post two), Stars Align A (post three), Mach N Cheese (post four) Backstreet Shadow (post five), and Hesa Kingslayer N (post six) remains to be seen.

Following a breathtaking victory in New York Sire Stakes competition at Saratoga on June 2, Pelling has kept top-ranked 3-year-old filly pacer Test Of Faith under wraps, so to speak.

"We'll start her next in the Park MGM Pace (formerly Lady Maud)," said Pelling. "I'd prefer not to race her against Open mares at the Meadowlands, and there aren't many races for non-winners of 10."

Test Of Faith was a 1:52 1/5 winner in the Sire Stakes over Saratoga's half-mile oval.

The Park MGM Pace has eliminations slated for June 25 at Yonkers (if necessary), with the final on July 2.