MGM Rewards Ladies Pacing Series action

JM Betonsix won for the second straight week, while Belina improved from second last Wednesday to first tonight in the pair of $20,000 divisions of the second leg of the MGM Rewards Ladies Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-old harness racing fillies and mares at Yonkers Raceway.

In the first flight JM Betonsix (George Brennan) went to the point from post four and led through soft fractions of 28.4, 59.3, and 1:27.4. It looked like it would be hard to catch her off those fractions, but JM Betonsix left the door open for the others when she went off-stride briefly in the lane. Brennan was able to get her back on the pace, though, and she hit the wire a head in front of pocket-sitter Gabby’s Girl (Matt Kakaley) in a 1:56.3 mile. Pleasure Seeker (Tyler Buter) was third.

There was a judges’ inquiry into JM Betonsix’s break and whether or not she complied with all the rules. In the end it was determined that she had not committed a violation and was left up as the winner.

Ron Burke trains JM Betonsix, a 4-year-old daughter of Betting Line, for owners Frank Canzone and Yannick Gingras. JM Betonsix now has a record of 8-6-4 from 31 appearances, and she pushed her bankroll to $101,253.

JM Betonsix, the 1-9 choice, returned $2.10 to win and was atop a $5.60 exacta and a $16.80 trifecta.

Belina (Jordan Stratton) was the runner-up in her section of the first round from off-the-pace, but a change in tactics netted her the victory this week. Stratton fired her out from post four, and she was able to clear Off The Record (Scott Zeron) for the top spot heading to the 27.3 opening quarter.

Belina then backed off the tempo to just 57 seconds at the half, with Nuttinbuthebest (Kakaley) taking up the chase first-over from third after that station, and favored Divine Deo (Brennan) picking up the cover to sit second-over.

It looked like Divine Deo was in a good spot to follow advancing cover, but then Nuttinbuthebest went three-wide with an apparent issue, leaving Divine Deo first-over and having to chase Belina before the 1:25.2 three-quarters.

Divine Deo’s bid stalled passing that marker, and from there, Belina didn’t give the competition any chance as she kicked home in 27.4 to tally by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:53.1. Off The Record was the runner-up, and Divine Deo had to settle for third.

A 4-year-old Sunshine Beach mare, Belina is trained by Lance Hudson for owner William Hartt. Belina is now a five-time winner from 23 lifetime starts, and she increased her earnings to $69,986. She paid $6.20 to win as the 2-1 second choice and led an $18.00 exacta and a $30.00 trifecta.

The MGM Ladies Pacing Series rolls on with the third preliminary round next Wednesday (March 23).
Stakes action resumes on Friday (March 18) at Yonkers with four $40,000 splits of the opening leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for free-for-all pacing mares.