Mach Le More A (Mach Three) won his first Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel back in April. The seven year old Amanda Kelley trainee is in the midst of a career year and has spent much of it racing in the local Winners Over, a level one below the Open. On occasion, Mach Le More A steps up into the regular Saturday feature and finished second and third place in his last two starts against the track’s best heading into this week’s try.
Leon Bailey pilots the Kelley trainee and powered him out to the early lead in the $16,000 feature. With very little speed to test him in the early going, Mach Le More A enjoyed leisurely first-half fractions of 28.1 and 57.2 with Ucanttouchthis (Brett Beckwith), the race’s favorite, sitting in the pocket. He took advantage of those soft early fractions and paced up a storm in the final half before powering away to win in 1:52 pacing his back half in 54.3.
Ucanttouchthis finished a solid second in his Open debut while Somebeach Baron (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. Mach Le More A set a new lifetime mark with his 1:52 score which was the eighth win in the Open Pace this year for owner ScheigertandAllies LLC, of Saratoga Springs, and trainer Amanda Kelley. Mach Le More A paid $7.50 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $22.20 and $90.50, respectively.
Live racing continues on Sunday evening at the Spa in Saratoga Springs with a first post time set for 6:45pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser
