BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Friday, October 14, 2016—Odds-on favorite Mach it a Par (Brian Sears,
$2.80) took advantage of a generous getaway locale Friday night, easily winning
Yonkers Raceway’s $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
In
play from post position No. 5 (after winning the 5-through-8 draw), she wasted
no time claiming her territory. Mach it a Par worked around Regil Elektra (Joe Bongiorno),
then started what became a two-speed number (:27.4, :57.2, 1:25.1, 1:52.2).
The final margin was a handy
length-and-a-quarter, with Jungle Genie N (Brent Holland) a best-of-rest third.
Al Raza N (Mark MacDonald) and Jonsie Jones (Tyler Buter) rounded out the
payees.
For Mach it a Pair, a 6-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 10th win in 32
seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10.90, with the triple returning $61.50.
Saturday’s rare day card (first post 1:10 PM) is
highlighted by the million-dollar International Trot. Ten of the world’s best
trotters test the mile-and-a-quarter distance.
U-S representatives Hannelore Hanover (Yannick
Gingras), Resolve (Ake Svanstedt) and Obrigado (MacDonald) start from post
position Nos.1, 2 and 6, respectively.
The International goes as race six as part of the
13-race card, which also features a pair of $250,000 Invitationals, led by Bit
of a Legend N and Wiggle It Jiggleit (posts 1 and 8 in the flat-mile Pace) and
Barn Doll and a returning Bee a Magician (posts 1 and 2) in the 1¼-mile Trot).
