NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Merrylegs Farm homebred Matchmadeinheaven, who won the Lady Finger Stakes in her career debut for trainer Chris Englehart and followed up with a victory in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes also run at Finger Lakes, made a rarity out of herself on Showcase Day at Belmont with a come-from-behind victory over 11 other juvenile fillies in the $125,000 Joseph A. Gimma, which ran up her record to a perfect three-for-three with three stakes victories.
Drawn in the outermost post of 12 to go seven furlongs in the Gimma and relatively overlooked at odds of 10-1, Matchmadeinheaven raced near in the back of the pack in ninth through an opening quarter mile in 23.31 and a half in 47.81.
Far left (NYRA/Adam Coglianese)
Still racing well back as the field entered the far turn – and last and widest of all entering the stretch – Matchmadeinheaven took off with determination for the finish line after straightening out for the drive.
After passing the bulk of the field in the center of the track, in the final strides Matchmadeinheaven collared 7-2 second choice Agilion, who had poked a head in front of 5-2 favorite Kelli Got Frosty, to get the victory by three-quarters of a length. Her time for the seven furlongs was 1:26.34.
Jose Lezcano, who earlier on the Showcase Day card won Bertram F. Bongard for 2-year-old males aboard Weekend Hideaway, explained the eccentricities of the trip. “She’s still a baby, and every horse that came to her she was backing up, backing up. When I got to the quarter pole, I swung out and she took off like she was breaking from the gate. She’s a very nice filly and she’ll get better with more racing.”
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Matchmadeinheaven has earned $180,592 from her three stakes victories.
A 2-year-old daughter of leading New York second crop sire Utopia who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Matchmadeinheaven was foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag (Vinery New York at Sugar Maple). She is the last reported foal out of Open Marriage, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Deputy Minister who turned out to be a phenomenally successful broodmare after being purchased by the late Seymour Cohn at the Fasig-Tipton New York yearling sale in 1990 for $50,000.
Open Marriage produced ten winners, including Chasin’ Wimmin by Belong to Me ($418,558), a three-time stakes winner and eleven time stakes performer, Garland of Roses winner Pentelis by Pentelicus ($240,124), and stakes winner See More Spirit by A. P Jet ($191,327). She also produced and two more six-figure earners including Affair in the Air by A. P Jet, who started 82 times over eight campaigns ($263,166). To date, her progeny have earned over $1.6 million.
Penny Hallman, who is the winning owner and breeder of Matchmadeinheaven said, “It was my father [Seymour Cohen’s] mare, Open Marriage, and she was our foundation broodmare and used to have a lot of nice horses, Chasin’ Wimmin, Pentelis, and See More Spirit, who is named after my dad. The mare died when this foal was born, and that’s kind of where we got the name, Matchmadeinheaven, and it was also named after my [late] parents, who are not with me but are always with me.”
