Ontario-owned Machs Beach Boy (Pat Lachance, $5.30) held off a two-pronged challenge Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's featured $26,000 Winners Over Pace.
Inheriting the pole after an inside scratch, Machs Beach Boy saw Orillia Joe (Jordan Stratton) make the first lead. Machs Beach Boy then moved -- apparently, just in time -- in front of Rockstar Temper (Dan Dube). It was Machs Beach Boy putting up intervals of :27.4 and :57-seconds flat as BJs Guy (Brent Holland) took out of fifth.
Machs Beach Boy maintained the advantage in and out of the 1:25.2 three-quarters, taking a length lead into the lane. He then kept both Orillia Joe and BJs Guy at bay, whipping the former by a neck in 1:53. Rockstar Temper and Stolen Car (Eric Carlson) rounded out the payees. Ronny Bugatti (Mark MacDonald, three wins for second consecutive night) was a jammed-in sixth as the 6-5 favourite.
For second choice Machs Beach Boy, a five-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by his driver for Ontario co-owners Dan Mogridge and Jeff Oborne, it was his ninth win in 31 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $68.50, with the triple returning $297.50.
With seven double-figure win payoffs included in the 12-race card, the Pick 5 was -- shockingly -- not hit. Thus, the Sunday matinee gimmick begins with a double carryover of $7,091.34 (50-cent base wager on races five through nine).
(Yonkers Raceway)