Eppler Trainees Maintain MATCH Divisional Leads

Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Imprimis wins the Wolf Hill Stakes at Monmouth Park

Breeze Easy's Imprimis rebounded from a troubled trip in the June 30 Highlander Stakes (G1T) in his previous start to win the $75,000 Wolf Hill Stakes, fourth of five races in the MATCH Series 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Turf Division, July 29 at Monmouth Park.

It was the 4-year-old gelding's second win in two MATCH starts, which gives him 20 points. Though Mary Eppler Racing Stable's Oaks Bluffs checked in ninth in the Wolf Hill for one point, he picked up another five bonus points because it marked his fourth start in the division. So he maintains his lead with 22 points and is tied in the overall series standings with his stablemate, Page McKenney.

Imprimis, winner of the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes, the first leg of the division, broke well from post 11 in the Wolf Hill and was third after the opening quarter-mile. He moved to second just behind front-running Ray'swarrior near the top of the stretch and was able to hold off a game Pool Winner, who was in contention throughout, by a length at the wire.

The time for the five furlongs on a turf course rated firm was 1:01.69.

Trainer Joe Orseno indicated the connections will have a choice to make in the near future given the fact the plan is to get Imprimis, who now has five wins in six starts, to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs. He needs one more start in the MATCH division to qualify for bonus money, but there's only one race left—the $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup Sept. 15 at Laurel Park.

"At Woodbine (sixth in the Highlander Stakes), that was an unfortunate trip," Orseno said, noting Imprimis got in trouble at three points in the race. "This was a big race for him today because we wanted to get him back on track. He hasn't been in his own stall (at Monmouth) for a while, so it's nice to just be able to walk him over to the paddock.

"There's nothing wrong with the MATCH bonuses for the owners or the trainers. But the owners want to get to the Breeders' Cup, and the question is, 'Will the Laurel race be a good enough prep to get him there?' We'll look at it as it gets closer."

Colts Neck Stables' Name Changer made his MATCH Series debut a winning one in the $150,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3T) earlier on the program.

It was the first graded stakes win for the 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo  and second stakes tally overall in 15 starts for trainer Alan Goldberg. Name Changer earned 10 points in the MATCH Series 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt Division and is now tied for second with Harlan Punch, winner of the grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes, second leg of the five-race division.

Division leader Page McKenney remains on top with 22 points, which includes the five he picked up for finishing third in the Monmouth Cup. He also qualified for MATCH bonus money with his third start in the division.

Name Changer covered the distance in 1:49.56 on a track rated fast and returned $10.40 to win. He entered the Monmouth Cup off of an even third-place finish in the July 14 Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park, but Goldberg indicated he expected a better effort that afternoon.

"In his last race, I was a little surprised," he said. "They went fast early (and he didn't close into it), so it was a head-scratcher. But everything was good. Today, I thought he would be farther back early, but the horse has been breaking from the gate better this year."

Page McKenney, who sat in fourth, made a bid on the far turn but couldn't get closer than 5 1/2 lengths behind the leader. He earned $15,000 in purse money to move a bit closer to the $2 million earnings mark and is the only horse thus far to qualify for MATCH bonus cash in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Division.


POINTS LEADERS
Rank Horse
Points
Overall Division Leaders

(Top five, through July 29)
1T
Page McKenney
22
1T
Oaks Bluff
22
3
Imprimis
20
4
Pool Winner
19
5
Jessica Krupnick
17
3-Year-Old & Up Long-Dirt
1
Page McKenney
22
2T
Harlan Punch
10
2T
Name Changer
10
4T
Shaft of Light
7
4T
Zanotti
7
3-Year-Old & Up Female Dirt Sprint
1
Jessica Krupnick
17
2T
Vertical Oak
10
2T
Chalon
10
4T
Startwithsilver
8
4T
Liz’s Cable Girl
8
3-Year-Old & Up Male Turf Sprint
1
Oak Bluffs
22
2
Imprimis
20
3
Pool Winner
19
4
Dubini
12
5
Vision Perfect
10
3-Year-Old & Up Female Turf Sprint
1
Smiling Causeway
12
2T
Girls Know Best
10
2T
Morticia
10
2T
Pretty Perfection
10
5T
Rocky Policy
7
5T
Blue Bahia
7
3-Year-Olds & Up Dirt Sprint
1
Lewisfield
12
2
Chublicious
11
3T
Always Sunshine
10
3T
Switzerland
10
5
Laki
8