Jedi Remains Undefeated with 8-5 Victory over Bendabout; Pony Express, BTA, ERG Also Win in C.V. Whitney Cup Action Thursday at
International Polo Club

C.V. Whitney Cup Daily Results posted on the message board for IPC, FL. 

WELLINGTON, FL (March 16, 2006) – Ten-goaler Agustin Merlos scored eight goals, including three in the crucial fifth chukker, to spark ERG over Mokarow Farms 12-10 in a 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup polo match Thursday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

The win lifted ERG into the quarterfinals and eliminated Mokarow Farms from the tournament.

In other action, Jedi coasted past Bendabout 8-5 to finish in first place with a 3-0 record, Pony Express knocked out Isla Carroll 10-8 and 10-goaler Mike Azzaro scored with 46 seconds remaining to lift BTA over Las Monjitas 14-13.

ERG took control in the second half en route to the win and a spot in the quarterfinals. The game was tied 5-5 at halftime and 7-7 late in the fourth chukker. But Merlos scored three consecutive goals in the fifth chukker to snap an 8-8 tie.

Ten-goaler Carlos Gracida missed a 30-yard penalty shot 31 seconds into the sixth chukker but redeemed himself on a breakaway to cut the margin to 11-9 with 6:02 left in the game. Sunny Hale sliced the lead to 11-10 with 4:11 remaining, but Mokarow Farms could not get the tying goal despite several opportunities.

Matias Magrini’s clearing shot went to ERG Scott Wood, who scored on a breakaway with 20 seconds remaining to clinch the game.

Carlos Gracida led Mokarow Farms (1-2) with eight goals.

Jedi jumped out to a 7-1 halftime lead and worked the clock in the second half en route to its third win in three games. Nine-goaler Juan Martin Nero led Jedi with four goals. Bendabout used a new lineup, with 7-goalers Michel Dorignac and Tommy Biddle replacing 9-goaler Lucas Monteverde, who had been playing with a pulled leg muscle, and 5-goaler Julio Gracida, but lost its third consecutive game.
Pony Express (1-2) took control early, leading 5-2 at halftime, en route to its first victory of the tournament.

Isla Carroll (1-2) rallied to cut the margin to one goal twice, 8-7 at the end of the fifth chukker, and 9-8 on a 30-yard penalty shot by Eduardo Heguy with 3:24 remaining in the game. Pony Express responded as Pancho Bensadon converted a 30-yard penalty shot with 2:18 left.

Bensadon led Pony Express with four goals, Bautista Heguy added three goals and patron Bob Daniels scored two goals. Heguy led Isla Carroll with six goals.

BTA battled back from an 11-7 deficit at the end of the fourth chukker, finally tying the game at 12-12 on Azzaro’s 40-yard penalty shot with 5:26 left in the game.

BTA took the lead, 13-12, on 8-goaler Rookie Bailleau’s forehand with 3:56 left but 8-goaler Mariano Gonzalez tied the game on a penalty shot with 2:57 remaining.

With the ball at midfield following a penalty, Azzaro dribbled through two players before launching a 20-yard forehand through the posts that proved to be the game-winner.

Gonzalez missed a 60-yard penalty shot wide to the right with 24 seconds remaining that would have sent the game into overtime.
Azzaro finished with a game-high eight goals and Bailleau added three goals. Nine-goaler Adam Snow led Las Monjitas (2-1) with six goals, Eduardo Novillo Astrada added five goals while Gonzalez finished with two goals.
Action in the 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup continues Sunday with the four quarterfinals.

No. 1 seed Jedi (3-0) plays Las Monjitas (2-1) at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club in one quarterfinal. Other quarterfinals are defending champion White Birch (2-1) against Black Watch (2-1) in a rematch of the 2005 final at noon, preceded by ERG (2-1) against Skeeterville (2-1) and BTA (2-1) against Lechuza Caracas (2-1), both at 10 a.m.

Fourteen teams, the largest field of the 2006 winter season, entered the tournament. Seven 10-goalers – Mariano Aguerre (White Birch), Javier Novillo Astrada (San Saba), Miguel Novillo Astrada (Bendabout), Mike Azzaro (BTA), Carlos Gracida (Mokarow Farms), Agustin Merlos (ERG) and Sebastian Merlos (Lechuza Caracas) – are competing in the event.

The semifinals are set for Thursday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The final is Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.

The tournament is named in memory of Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who along with his cousin John Hay Whitney, were important polo patrons in the 1930's. The son of Hall of Fame patron Harry Payne Whitney, C.V. won the U.S. Open three times (twice against his brother), and was a renowned owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

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 $10 for adults. 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.
 
C.V. Whitney Schedule
 
Sunday             10 a.m.             Quarterfinal      ERG vs. Skeeterville
                                    10 a.m.             Quarterfinal      BTA vs. Lechuza Caracas
                                    Noon               Quarterfinal      White Birch vs. Black Watch
                                    3 p.m.              Quarterfinal      Jedi vs. Las Monjitas
 
Thursday                      1 PM   Semifinal          
Thursday                      3 PM   Semifinal          
 
Sunday, March 26        3 PM   Final

C.V. Whitney Cup Daily Results posted on the message board for IPC, FL.

International Polo Club
Palm Beach