Yonkers, NY — Favored Mac’s Beach Boy (Pat Lachance, $5.60) prevailed from a soggy pocket Saturday (Mar. 14) night, annexing Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 Open Pace.

Winning the blind draw, Mach’s Beach Boy was only going to allow one horse to out leave him, and that one was Warrawee Needy (Mark MacDonald). Beach Memories was summarily stuffed into a three-hole before a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. After a 56.4 intermission, Beach Memories was trying his luck again, going to challenge Warrawee Needy by the 1:24.2 three-quarters.

Warrawee Needy appeared to have some nighttime daylight, owning a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. However, Mach’s Beach Boy dove into a damp passing lane and went by. He edged away by a couple of lengths in 1:52.4. Beach Memories held third, with a rallying Pancetta (Brian Sears) and Fat Man’s Alley (Jason Bartlett) earning the minor money.

For Mach’s Beach Boy, a 6-year-old Mach Three gelding Ontario co-owned by Dan Mogridge and Jeffrey Osborne, it was his fourth win in eight seasonal starts with earnings of $ 59,300. The exacta paid $13, with the triple (three wagering favorites in order) returning $28.60.

Stakes/series action continues next week. Monday, it’s the second round of the Petticoat Pacing Series, and Tuesday, the second round of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series. Friday, the opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and Saturday, the opening round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

The Raceway’s live season continues Sunday (post time 1:10 p.m.), our final “French-centic” Sunday until November. After that, it’s Monday (7:10 p.m.), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 p.m.). Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily.

Frank Drucker

Buffalo Raceway
Mach Stockn Barrel made it two straight convincing victories and King Otra regained his throne to take the spotlight in the co-featured $8,800 conditioned paces at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (March 14). In the opener, Mach Stockn Barrel (John Cummings Jr.) watched patiently from the back of the pack as Jokerman posted wicked fractions of 27.3, 58.2 and 1:28 over the sloppy track. Jokerman (Kevin Cummings) put away the first-over challenge of Western Alumni (Jim McNeight) at the top of the stretch but Mach Stockn Barrel, a four-length winner on March 7, was just getting into high gear. The hot splits started to take its toll on Jokerman and Mach Stockn Barrel ($8.50) took advantage, blasting by to register the length decision in 1:57. Jokerman held on for second while Terlingua (Drew Monti) took the show position. Owned by Leonard Segall and trained by James Clouser Jr., it was the fifth win in eight starts this season for Mach Stockn Barrel (Mach Three-Timeless Classic). The 4-year-old gelding has now won $20,776 in 2015 and $45,357 lifetime. In the co-feature Youwillwishyouhad (Cummings Jr.) did all the dirty work on the front end but it was King Otra (Monti) who cleaned up in the end to post the win in 1:58. Setting the tempo with times of 28.2, 59.1 and 1:28.4, Youwillwishyouhad had the pocket-sitting King Otra ($8.50) breathing down his neck until mid-stretch. Monti then tipped King Otra to the outside and paced away from Youwillwishyouhad by 1-3/4 lengths. Southwind Whiski (David McNeight III) finished in third. With the victory, King Otra (Western Ideal-Queen Otra) has been victorious three times in eight appearances this year and has won $19,464 and $223,062 lifetime. The 8-year-old gelding is owned by Barbara Russo and trained by Neal Russo. The tote board worked overtime in the second race as Lee Dahn drove Thisoneandonemore to a $73.00 victory. American Bull (Cummings Jr.) finished in second at 40-1 while 13-1 shot OK Braveheart (McNeight) took show dough to complete the $2,159.00 trifecta for a buck. In the seventh race, Put It In Gear (Cummings Jr.) went gate-to-wire from the eight post and paid a healthy $90.00 to his backers. Racing will continue at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night with the 12-race program getting underway at 5 p.m.

Miami Valley Raceway
Lucky Lime, nicknamed ‘The Grinder’ in keeping with his racing style, wore down all his adversaries for driver Kyle Ater in the $15,500 Open Pace at Miami Valley on Saturday (Mar. 14) night, despite a grueling first-over journey. Speed Trap (Chris Page) allowed Gareth Nourrir (Tyler Smith) to briefly clear to the front before retaking control as the quickest leavers passed the quarter-mile marker in :27. By the halfway station in :55.3 Lucky Lime was out and moving with Virgil (Josh Sutton) in tow and the eight-horse field double-tiered from front to back. Lacking a huge burst of speed, but with abundant determination, Lucky Lime inched closer with every stride until finally clearing to the front just past the 1:23.2 three-quarter station. Special Forces (Dan Noble) closed furiously through the stretch to finish second with Virgil garnering the show dough in the 1:52.3 mile. Midway down the lane seven of the combatants still had a shot to win it, but it was Lucky Lime who displayed the most grit. The top seven finishers were all within two lengths at the wire. Dean Glispie trains Lucky Lime, who has now won over $100,000 racing exclusively in Ohio over the past 13 months for owner Kirk Nichols. The 6-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover sports a career bankroll of $231,517.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Statesman N (Christian Cullen) had to settle for second best as the betting public’s favorite in last Saturday (Mar. 7) night’s $17,500 feature at Saratoga Casino and Raceway but this week, the Ron Burke-trained 8-year-old would not be denied. Statesman N, who came from off the pace in last week’s Winners Over pacing feature, moved out to the early lead for driver Jim Morrill Jr on the foggy Saturday (Mar. 14) night in Saratoga. Once he got to the lead, the 1-5 favorite would not be denied and hit the wire first in 1:54.3. Classic Gent (Stephane Bouchard) sat the pocket to the winner and held strong in the stretch to finish second while longshot JK Panache (Jim Devaux) earned the show spot. While Statesman N was the feature winner, it was Mickey Hanover (Billy Dobson) who put up the fastest time of the young season at the Spa with a sensational victory that came in 1:52.4.