Overall Championship On the Line in MATCH Finals

The top spots for two MATCH Series divisions already are secure, but races on the final weekend will determine the standings in other divisions as well as the overall championship.

Two divisions—the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint-Turf Division and the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint-Dirt Division—remain wide open heading into the Sept. 15 final legs at Laurel Park. The standings reflect the importance of participation in series races, and a few horses have an advantage because they're eligible for bonus points.

Oak Bluffs, an 8-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding, has raced in the first four legs of the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint-Turf Division and leads the standings with 22 points. If he competes in the $100,000 Laurel Dash at six furlongs on the turf, he will automatically earn 7 bonus points on top of points collected for finish position.

Oak Bluffs is owned and trained by Mary Eppler, who already claimed the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long-Dirt Division with now-retired stable star Page McKenney for owners Adam Staple and Jalin Stable. Page McKenney isn't in the hunt for the overall championship anymore, but Oak Bluffs remains in contention.

Both Eppler trainees also have earned their breeders a $5,000 bonus. Oak Bluffs, bred by Patricia Generazio, is the top New Jersey-bred colt or gelding, and Page McKenney, bred by co-owners James Bryant and Linda Davis, took honors in the Pennsylvania-bred colt or gelding category. The bonuses are provided by the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association.

Another Maryland-based horse leads the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint-Dirt Division and also would earn 7 bonus points for starting in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) at Laurel. Laki, trained by Damon Dilodovico for owner Hillside Equestrian Meadows, is the division leader and overall points-earner thus far with 23 heading into the fifth and final leg.

Like Oak Bluffs, Laki hasn't missed a MATCH Series start and hadn't finished better than third until the Aug. 12 Polynesian Stakes, in which he was placed first after a stretch-long battle with Lewisfield, who finished first by a nose but was placed second. Lewisfield, owned and bred by Linda Zang, has 19 points and would earn 5 bonus points for a start in the De Francis Dash.

Lewisfield and Laki, bred by Tom Michaels and Lorna Baker, are both Maryland-breds, so their breeders are eligible for a $5,000 MATCH Series bonus for the top Maryland-bred colt or gelding by points in the overall standings. The 3-point swing between first and second in the Polynesian certainly could be a factor in the final standings for the division and breeders' bonus as could the field itself-the connections of X Y Jet and Imperial Hint, both of which are being pointed to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, have indicated interest in the De Francis Dash.

 

MATCH Series Leaders

Rank    Horse    Points

Overall leaders

1.  Laki*    23

2T.  Page McKenney*    22

2T.  Oak Bluffs*    22

2T. Jessica Krupnick    22

5.  Imprimis    20

3-Year-Olds and Up, Long—Dirt Division

1.  Page McKenney*    22

3-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares Sprint--Dirt Division

1.  Jessica Krupnick    22

2T.  Startwithsilver    8

2T.  Liz's Cable Girl    8

4. Day by Day    4

3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Turf Division

1.  Oak Bluffs*    22

2T.  Imprimis    20

2T.  Pool Winner*    19

4.  Dubini*    12

5.  Ray'swarrior    5

3-Year-Olds and Up, Fillies and Mares Sprint—Turf Division

1.  Smiling Causeway    12

2.  Pretty Perfection    10

3. Daylight Ahead      2

3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt Division

1.  Laki*    23

2.  Lewisfield*    19

3.  Chublicious    11

4.  It's the Journey    7

5.  Fellowship    4

Note: Standings only include horses in top five places by division who have completed enough starts to qualify, (marked with a "*") or could have enough starts to qualify.