by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett, $4.60) repeated — barely — Friday night (June 15), winning Yonkers Raceway’s featured $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Forwardly-placed from post position No. 5 (in one notch after a defection), Mach It A Par easily worked around Medusa (George Brennan). There were cheap fractions (:28.4, :58.1) before Motu Moonbeam N (Mark MacDonald) tried it first-up from fourth.
The one never came close in and out of a 1:25.3 three-quarters, with Mach It A Par owning a 1-3/4 length lead off the final turn. Medusa edged out and closed resolutely, but missed by a nose in 1:53.2. Dude’salady (Brent Holland), just-over even-money favorite Newborn Sassy (Dan Dube) and Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton) came away with the minors.
Someone, somewhere jumped over some bridge, as the show prices returned $8.30, $17.20 and $18.80, respectively.
For second choice Mach It A Par, an 8-year-old daughter of Mach Three co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P Stable and The Gandolfo Stables and trained by Rich Banca, it was her sixth win in 17 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $27.60, the triple returned $100 and the superfecta paid $217.