Bettor’s Wish, the year’s leading money-winning Standardbred and top-ranked male pacer, added to his championship laurels by winning last night's $248,350 Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Colt Pace at Dover Downs.

 

In 18 starts this year, the son of Bettor’s Delight-Lifetime Star, who was bred, raised and sold as a yearling by Brittany Farms, has 15 wins and 3 seconds for 2019 earnings of $1,560,260.

 

His race records are 1:47.4 on a mile, 1:49.2 on a five-eighths, and 1:50.3 on a half.

 

He started his stakes campaign by winning the $300,000 Art Rooney in May and has continued unabated. Racing almost every week during the summer and fall he has won major stakes that include elims or finals of the Breeders Crown, Meadowlands Pace, North America Cup, Messenger Stakes, Hempt Memorial, Tattersalls, Bluegrass, Milstein and now the Matron.

 

Despite keen interest shown by major farms in standing Bettor’s Wish as a stallion, plans call for him to race again next year at 4. But before storing his harness for the winter, he likely will challenge older foes in the $350,000 TVG Open Pace Final next Saturday at the Meadowlands.

 

His owners, trainer Chris Ryder, Bella Racing, Fair Island Farm and Bettor’s Wish Partners, said that since the horse is a ridgling, it was thought better to wait for further fertility tests next spring rather than send him to stud now, and perhaps cover only a limited book.

 

With racing next year on the agenda, fans of Bettor’s Wish are in for a treat. With his sheer desire, speed and determination, he should become a competitive force in the Free For All ranks.