A shrewdly-driven Mach It A Par (Jordan Stratton, $6.90) prevailed from the pocket on Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Usually an authentic closer, Mach It A Par—from mandated post position No. 7—was put in play here, and it obviously served her well.
She and eight-hole assignee Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett) both cleared the inside half-dozen ladies, with a three-wide latter making the lead just after a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. Longshot So Nice (Tyler Buter) left into a three-hole, which didn’t do much for the cause of pole-sitting Regil Elektra (Dan Dube).
The song remained the same at the :57.1 intermission, before Hidden Land (Brent Holland) moved...from seventh. Bedroomconfessions (Scott Zeron), as the tepid 2-1 fave, was away last and chased that one toward a 1:25.1 three-quarters.
Mach It A Par was fidgety in the pocket, extricating it to grab a short lead in and out of the final turn. She then finished it off, winning by two and a half lengths in 1:52.3. Hidden Land put in a fine effort, continuing first-up for second, with a needing-room Regil Elektra, Krispy Apple and Moto Moonbeam N (Matt Kakaley) rounding out the payees.
Bedroomconfessions was devoid of pace and backpedaled to last.
For second choice Mach It A Par, a six-year-old daughter of Mach Three co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Rich Banca, the win was her 13th in 31 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $64, the triple returned $250 and the superfecta paid $1,143.
Yonkers’ 2016 live season concludes with cards Saturday (first post 7:10 p.m.) and Sunday (first post 1 p.m.). A reminder that there’s no simulcasting December 19 through December 28, inclusive and the ’17 season begins Sunday, January 1 (post time TBA, dates pending approval of New York State Gaming Commission).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)