Jessica Krupnick wins overall MATCH title

Jessica Krupnick held on to win the overall title in the Mid-Atlantic Championships on Saturday over Laki, who finished second in the Grade 3 De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park. If Laki would have won the De Francis, he would have been the overall champion by one point.

Jessica Krupnick, a 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, is based at the Fair Hill Training Center with trainer Tres Abbott. She is owned by the Sycamore Racing V partnership, which is managed by Abbott’s father, Francis.

She competed in four of the five legs of the MATCH Series filly and mare dirt-sprint division and scored 34 points. She took the overall lead by finishing second in the Roamin Rachel at Parx on Sept. 15.

Jessica Krupnick earned a total of $110,000 in MATCH Series’ bonuses.

Sycamore earned $50,000 for winning the overall championship and $20,000 for winning her division title. As the trainer, Abbott earned $25,000 and $15,000.

“Once you get into it, you plan around it, and it worked out well for us,” Tres Abbott said. “It’s a good program for Mid-Atlantic horses and some of the smaller trainers in the region.”

Jessica Krupnick is scheduled to make the final start of her career next month at Woodbine. A deal is in place for her to be sold as a broodmare to a Canadian partnership.

Trainer Mary Eppler was the second-biggest winner in the series, with Page McKenney and Oaks Bluffs earning a combined $70,000. The now-retired Page McKenney won the long-dirt division and Oak Bluffs finished first in the turf-sprint division by one point over Dubini.

Page McKenney is owned by Adam Staple and Jalin Stable. Oak Bluffs is owned by the Mary Eppler Racing Stable.

Oaks Bluffs and Laki, who won the dirt-sprint division for trainer Damon Dilodovico and Hillside Equestrian Meadows, were the only two horses in the MATCH Series to race in all five legs of their respective divisions.

Smiling Causeway won the filly and mare turf-sprint division for trainer Arnaud Delacour and Audley Farm Stable.

This is the first year the MATCH Series has been held since 2001. A total of 25 races beginning in May were held at seven tracks in the region - Monmouth Park, Laurel Park, Pimlico, Parx, Delaware Park, Penn National, and Presque Isle Downs.