Meadowlands: Mach It So upsets in William Haughton Memorial

2015 William Haughton Memorial winner Mach It So joined an elite club of two-time winners of that event when he scored a 16-1 upset in this year's $427,400 edition of the contest for open pacers at the Meadowlands. Mach It so bravely held off Boston Red Rocks through the lane to score in 2:00 4/5 for the mile and an eighth distance.

A field of 12 lined up for the race, and it would be Bettor's Edge (Scott Zeron) taking the group to the opening quarter in 25 4/5. Mach It So got away in fourth from post one for driver David Miller, but Miller sent him in search of the lead beyond that pole, and he would get it before the 54 1/5 half. Boston Red Rocks (Brett Miller) had been unable to find a spot on the rail from post five, so he methodically worked his way up on the outside, and he would race side-by-side with Mach It So at the 1:20 4/5 three-quarters and around the final bend.

The top two horses continued their duel into the stretch and remainded in battle to the 1:47 1/5 mile, but Mach It So edged away inside the final eighth, winning by a quarter of a length in the end. Bettor's Edge came back on to get third.

"Big field and with the extra eighth of a mile, I wasn't for sure what was going to happen," said David Miller. "When the gate folded it looked like there was about ten of them leaving, but by the time we got to the first turn it had settled down and I was sitting fourth. We were actually going a pretty moderate pace, so I went ahead and moved him back to see what would happen. The horse first-up just kinda rode there, and we got our own way. He fought really hard through the stretch. I think Boston Red Rocks got up on him, but this horse fought back and put his head in front.

"That is a big mile for him. He was still pacing hard at the wire. I give the horse a lot of credit."

Mach It So is a 7-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Jeff Bamond Jr. for owner Bamond Racing LLC. Mach It So is now a 37-time winner in his life, and he became harness racing's newest double milionaire, pushing his bankroll to $2,049,044. He paid $34.60 to win.