In other Stanford U.S. Open action, 9-goaler Adam Snow scored seven goals to lead Las Monjitas over 2005 finalist Skeeterville 15-9.

The Stanford U.S. Open continues Tuesday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. when two-time champion Isla Carroll (1-0) plays Orchard Hill (1-0) followed by Pony Express (1-0) against San Saba (0-1) at 3 p.m.

It was Mokarow’s second consecutive overtime victory in the Stanford U.S. Open, having beaten Skeeterville 9-8 last Thursday.

“Once we got to overtime, we were going to win,” said Mokarow Farms 10-goaler Carlos Gracida, who scored a team-high eight goals, including 7-for-7 in penalty shots.

“Luckily, I was hitting my penalty shots well,” said Gracida.

Mokarow Farms scored two goals, both on penalty shots by Gracida, in a 1:24 span to tie the game at 10-10 with 1:38 left.

In the overtime, Mokarow Farms controlled the ball in their offensive zone and Memo Gracida tailed a pass in front of goal where Willington raced in alone for the game-winning score.

“I was following Memo and when he went to right, I stopped to be the first one back on defense,” said the 28-year-old Willington, in his first year of high-goal polo in the United States. “When I saw the ball in front, it was a chance I had to take.”

Ten-goaler Sebastian Merlos led Lechuza Caracas (0-1) with five goals while patron Victor Vargas finished with three goals and Magoo Laprida added two goals. Sapo Caset did not score.

Fifteen-year-old super-sub Carlitos Gracida replaced Kevin Mokarow in the beginning of the fourth chukker. Mokarow aggravated a leg injury for the second consecutive game.

“Carlitos made a lot of damage in the throw-ins,” said the 20-year-old Caset, an 8-goaler. “He made a difference. I felt we were controlling the game. That’s why I’m angry. We didn’t deserve to lose, but that’s polo.”

Las Monjitas (2-0) jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first chukker and continued to dominate the entire game.

Eight-goaler Nacho Novillo Astrada scored six goals, four in the first half, as Lad Monjitas built a 9-3 lead. Nine-goaler Eduardo Novillo Astrada added two goals and patron Camilo Bautista did not score.

Eight-goaler Julio Arellano led Skeeterville (0-2) with six goals, all on penalty shots, and Ignacio Toccalino added three goals. Owen Rinehart and patron Skeeter Johnston did not score.

The quarterfinals of the Stanford U.S. Open presented by Bombardier are scheduled for Sunday, April 16 with the semifinals set for Wednesday, April 19. The final, on Sunday, April 23 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club, expects to draw more than 8,000 spectators. 

Historically, the U.S. Open has always been the grand prize of polo in North America. It is one of only four tournaments played at the 26-goal echelon, the highest-rated tournament in the United States. The others are the Hall of Fame Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup, both also played at International Polo Club Palm Beach in 2006, and the USPA Gold Cup, being played in Aiken, South Carolina later this year.

The first U.S. Open title game was played in 1904 at Van Cortland Park in New York City where the Wanderers defeated the Freebooters 4 ?-3, the lowest scoring final in the history of the tournament.

The polo matches at International Polo Club are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $15 for adults and reserved lawn tickets are $40. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game.

International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
 
Stanford U.S. Open Schedule
                                   
Tuesday, April 4                 11 a.m.                 Isla Carroll vs. Orchard Hill
                                          3 p.m.                   San Saba vs. Pony Express
Wednesday, April 5            1 p.m.                   White Birch vs. Black Watch
                                          3 p.m.                   ERG vs. Bendabout
Thursday, April 6                1 p.m.                   Skeeterville vs. Lechuza Caracas
                                          3 p.m.                   Mokarow Farms vs. BTA
Saturday, April 8                11 a.m.                 San Saba vs. Bendabout
                                          1 p.m.                   ERG vs. Black Watch
                                          3 p.m.                   White Birch vs. Orchard Hill
Sunday, April 9                  10 a.m.                 Skeeterville vs. BTA
                                          Noon                    Las Monjitas vs. Lechuza Caracas
                                          3 p.m.                   Isla Carroll vs. Pony Express
Wednesday, April 12          11 a.m.                 Isla Carroll vs. Bendabout
                                          1 p.m.                   San Saba vs. Black Watch
                                          3 p.m.                   ERG vs. Orchard Hill    
Thursday, April 13              11 a.m.                 BTA vs. Lechuza Caracas
                                          1 p.m.                   White Birch vs. Pony Express
                                                      3 p.m.                  Mokarow Farms vs. Las Monjitas