Coming off a second-place finish by a half length to Caviart Ally on Friday night, the Mach Three mare Machnhope was right back in Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 18) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning the $14,400 featured distaff handicap pace in 1:51.2–but not without giving the bettors who had punched her down to 1-10 a brief scare late.
Machnhope was sent right to the lead by driver Andrew McCarthy, put up fractions of :27.1, :55 and 1:23, and seemed unfazed as she opened a clear lead around the far turn. But in midstretch Machnhope took a couple of fumbly steps; McCarthy was able to get his charge back on course quickly, and she rebounded to defeat pocket-sitter Apple Bottom Jeans by a length with closer Eclipse Me N another neck back in third.
Machnhope survived an inquiry into her stretch adventures, and now is a winner of $317,029 lifetime, while Noel Daley conditions her for himself and his partners Deo Volente Farms LLC, Thomas Pontone, and L A Express Stable LLC.
In the $12,800 co-featured pace for the ladies, the three-year-old Sweet Lou filly Shouldbeenatd sat the pocket behind second-choice Shes Nun Bettor N, was moved outside on the far turn by driver Yannick Gingras to engage the leader, and encountered upper-stretch resistance before finally making the lead in a 1:54.2 victory by one-and-a-half lengths. The sophomore has now amassed $217,917 for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Andrew McCarthy and David Miller had driving triples on the first card of the Philly racing week.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)