Belmont Park: Matchmadeinheaven rallies wide to stay unbeaten in Gimma

ELMONT, N.Y. – Matchmadeinheaven, who began her career with two stakes victories at Finger Lakes, unleashed a big stretch run on the far outside to win the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes and remain unbeaten for trainer Chris Englehart.

Far back early in the field of 12 juvenile New York-bred fillies, Matchmadeinheaven circled widest into the lane and sustained a long run to wear down the leaders by three-quarters of a length under Jose Lezcano, who earlier in the day took the Bertram F. Bongard with a rail-skimming ride on Weekend Hideaway.

“When I got to the quarter pole, I swung out and she took off like she was breaking from the gate,” said Lezcano. “She’s a very nice filly and she’ll get better with more racing.”

Matchmadeinheaven, a cleverly-named homebred filly by Utopia out of the Deputy Minster mare Open Marriage, captured the Lady Finger and Rachel Alexandra Stakes at her home base in September. She ran seven furlongs in 1:26.34 on a good main track Saturday, and the $75,000 winner’s share padded her bankroll to $180,592 for Merrylegs Farm.

“It was my father’s [Seymour Cohn] mare, and she was our foundation broodmare,” said winning owner Penny Hallman. “The mare died when this foal was born, and that’s kind of where we got the name.”

Kelli Got Frosty, the 5-2 favorite, edged 7-2 second choice Agilion by a head for the runner-up spot. Zekes Surprise finished fourth.