YONKERS’ FRIDAY
LED BY SECOND ROUND OF BLUE CHIP MATCHMAKER
BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, March 24,
2017—Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker offered up Round 2 Friday night
(March 24th), with another trio of $40,000 divisions for top-flight
pacing mares.
The opening event saw Empress Deo (Matt
Kakaley, $25) get encouraged to leave the gate, then trip out from the pocket
to pick off Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing) at the wire in 1:54. Diva’s Image
(Joe Bongiorno), as the just-over-even-money favorite, was third.
From post position No. 5, Empress Deo left
to an immediate lead, then relented to pole-sitting Shesjustadelight N at a
:27.2 opening quarter-mile.
After a soft :56.4 half, series-debuting
Sandbetweenurtoes (Brett Miller) tried it first-up from fifth. She didn’t
threaten as ‘Delight’ led comfortably in and out of a 1:26 three-quarters, up a
length-and-a-quarter entering the lane.
A week ago, it was Empress Deo cutting the
fractions and Shesjustadelight N beating her from behind. It was turnabout and
fair play this time around, with Empress Deo ducking inside and getting the
decision by a head.
Diva’s Image was beaten a length, with
Lispatty (Mark MacDonald) and Sandbetweenurtoes rounding out the
payees.
For fourth
choice Empress Deo, a 6-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover owned by Legacy
Racing of Delaware and trained by Wayne Givens, it was her first win in 10
seasonal starts. The exacta paid $71, with the triple returning $146.
Friday night’s second Matchmaker grouping
saw Mackenzie A (Jordan Stratton, $6.80) win both the draw and the race
(1:53.2).
Giving it up early to Wrangler Magic (Dube),
Mackenzie A then played a game of Ladies Leapfrog, making the lead just after a
:28.2 opening quarter-mile. It was
an equally-time second substation (:56.4 intermission), then Betabcool N (Mark
MacDonald) moved from fifth.
Mackenzie A
was comfy through a 1:24.4 three-quarters as the miss opened a couple of
lengths into the lane. She held off a good effort from Wrangler Magic, winning
by a half-length. Betabcool N held third, with a from-last, 79-1 Medusa
(Kakaley) and a never-in-it, 9-10 fave Mach it a Par (Jason Bartlett) settling
for the minors.
For Mackenzie
A, a 5-year-old Down Under daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven co-owned by Harry von
Knoblauch & Ellen Kinser and trained by Peter Tritton, it was her first win
in four seasonal/North American starts. The exacta paid $36.40, with the triple
returning $205.
The second
round’s final foray offered the fastest female, as it did a week ago. This
time, it was odds-on Bedroomconfessions (Scott Zeron, $2.90) giving nothing
else a shot (:27.3, :57, 1:25.2, 1:52.3).
Leaving from
the pylons, Bedroomconfessions toured the terrain with the ease of a qualifier.
She stuffed Krispy Apple (Miller) in behind at the outset, then did as she
pleased. The lead was three lengths in and out of the final turn and 3¼ lengths
at the wire.
Regil Elektra
(Bartlett) was a solid, two-move second, with Kiwis Sell a Bit N (Stratton) and
Change the Rulz N (George Brennan) earning the rest of the reward money.
For
Bedroomconfessions, a 5-year-old statebred daughter of American Ideal co-owned
(as Alagna Racing) by (trainer) Tony Alagna and Riverview Racing, it was her
third win in six ’17 starts. The exacta paid $6.20, with the triple
(three wagering favorites in order) returning $12.40.
“She’s a big
horse, but she gets around a half (-mile track) so well,” Zeron said. “They
never tried her much on the small tracks before this season, but she’s faster
in these turns then she is in the straightaway.
“The race
couldn’t have been easier. Everyone else was happy to line up behind us. Never
showed her the whip, never pulled the plugs.”
