Oak Bluffs New Overall Leader of MATCH Series
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Photo: B & D Photography
Oak Bluffs wins the 2018 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National
Oak Bluffs, an 8-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding, became the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series overall leader June 2 with a sharp victory in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, while Kentucky-based Morticia, a 4-year-old Kentucky-based filly, moved into a tie for her division lead with a win in the $100,000 Penn Ladies Dash Stakes.
The two stakes were part of the marquee Penn Mile card at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, and were the two MATCH Series races of the June 2-3 weekend.
Owned and trained by Mary Eppler, Oak Bluffs earned 10 points in the Governor's Cup, the second of five races in the 3-year-olds and up sprint-turf division. That followed the five points earned May 18 for the third-place finish by the son of Defrere in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint.
Eppler, a strong supporter of the MATCH Series, expects to enter Oak Bluffs in the third race in the division, the $200,000 Parx Dash (G3T) July 7.
"This was fun," Eppler said. "I think he's better off going a little longer (than five furlongs), but I think we'll look at the Parx Dash. He doesn't like soft turf (like he got at Pimlico). He's getting better and better. Was it his best race? Yes."
Oak Bluffs was claimed by Eppler for $5,000 several years ago. He had been a stakes horse, and Eppler was able to get him back to top form. Page McKenney, another 8-year-old gelding approaching the $2 million mark in earnings, is another former claimer trained by the Pimlico Race Course-based Eppler. He won the $100,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park May 26 and leads the MATCH Series 3-year-olds and up long-dirt division.
Morticia, owned by G. Watts Humphrey and trained by George "Rusty" Arnold II, was also entered in a $65,000 turf sprint stakes at Churchill Downs the evening of June 2. Her connections, who also bred the filly, opted to ship her to Pennsylvania, and it paid off with the Penn Ladies Dash victory.
"I'm glad to see her get it done," said Arnold, who noted Morticia had raced very well but just came up short in her previous three starts. "Her trip was good today. I was really confident (about her ability) at Churchill last time out but another filly just beat her.
"We're thinking about taking her to Saratoga, but the MATCH Series is a really good thing that we'd like to support. So we'll see."
Morticia earned 10 points in the filly and mare sprint-turf division. The next divisional race is the $100,000 Turf Amazon Stakes at Parx Racing July 7.
Penn National officials reported strong pari-mutuel handle on the two MATCH races and other races on the program, which included five turf races. Total wagering topped $3.6 million.
The next races in the MATCH Series are June 17 at Monmouth: the $75,000 Regret Stakes (Filly and mare sprint division) and $75,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (3-and-old sprint division).
Overall Divisional Leaders (Top Five, through June 4)
Rank Horse Points
1. Oak Bluffs 15
2T. Vertical Oak 10
2T. Switzerland 10
2T. Girls Know Best 10
2T. Page McKenney 10
2T. Imprimis 10
2T. Morticia 10
3-Year-Old & Up Long-Dirt
1. Page McKenney 10
2. Shaft of Light 7
3. Sunny Ridge 5
4. Chip Leader 3
5. Papa Zulu 2
3-Year-Old & Up Female Dirt Sprint
1. Vertical Oak 10
2. Startwithsilver 7
3. Ms Locust Point 5
4. Toby Girl 3
5. Luckyallmylife 2
3-Year-Old & Up Turf Sprint
1. Oak Bluffs 15
2. Imprimis 10
3T. Rocket Heat 7
3T. Dubini 7
5. Jaguar Poz 5
3-Year-Old & Up Female Turf Sprint
1T. Girls Know Best 10
1T. Morticia 10
3T. Pretty Perfection 7
3T. Rocky Policy 7
5T. Anna's Bandit 5
5T. Just Talkin 5
3-Year-Olds & Up Dirt Sprint
1. Switzerland 10
2. Long Haul Bay 7
3. Lewisfield 5
4. Irish Colonel 3
5. Heartwood 2