Slight favourite Motu Moonbeam N (Matt Kakaley, $7.60) took over early and lasted late Friday night (January 26), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.

Away second from post position No. 2, Motu Moonbean N grabbed the lead from pole-assigned All About Madi (George Brennan) before a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton) was also put in play, finding a seat third.

After a :57.4 intermission, Hidden Land (Eric Goodell) tried it first-up from fifth. That one offered just a mild bid in and out of a 1:26.3 three-quarters, with Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett) in behind.

Motu Moonbeam N owned a length lead into the lane, with All About Madi taking a shot inside and Sell A Bit N needing room that wasn’t there. The leader did hold, prevailing by a desperate nose in a season’s-best 1:54.4. All About Madi was second, with Sell A Bit N, Mach It A Par and Annabeth (Brent Holland) settling for the minors.

For Motu Moonbeam N, a six-year-old Down Under daughter of Bettors Delight owned by Friendship Stables and trained by Paul Blumenfeld, the win was her second in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $29, with the triple returning $128.

(Yonkers Raceway)