Yonkers $44k F & M Open to Mach It A Pair

YONKERS, NY, Friday, June 8, 2018-Yonkers Raceway returned from hiatus Friday night (June 8th), with Mach it a Par (Jason Bartlett, $10.60) winning the featured $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Away fifth from post position No. 6, Mach it a Par watched as Meadows returnee Medusa (Brian Sears) led the early floor show through intervals of :27 and :56.1.

Freakonomics (Eric Goodell) took out of fourth, though not advancing all that much in and out of a 1:24 three-quarters. Mach it a Par then set sail around that one, getting first 'run' on her rear-end rivals. Meanwhile, Medusa owned a length-and-a-half lead off the final turn before the interlopers arrived.

Mach it a Par swallowed up the pace-setter, drawing out to win by a length-and-a-half in a season's-best 1:52.3. A from-last Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton) grabbed second as the 6-5 fave, with 33-1 Delightful Dragon (Brent Holland) also offering late foot for the bottom of the ticket.

A tiring Medusa and Baryna A (Joe Bongiorno) settled for the minors.

For third choice Mach it a Par, an 8-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, it was her fifth win in 16 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $32.60, the triple returned $367.50 and the superfecta paid $2,686.

A reminder that the Raceway is the official 'non-Belmont Park Belmont Stakes' place to watch the festivities, with windows opening Saturday (June 9th) in advance of Belmont's 11:35 AM opener.

by Frank Drucker, for Yonkers Raceway