BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, April 21, 2017—‘Twas
the night before the finals of the George Morton Levy and Blue Chip Matchmaker
and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…
…except for Jordan Stratton.
The lad had himself a Yonkers Raceway
Friday night (Apr. 21st), winning a personal-best six races during
the 11-race card.
“I can’t explain it,” Stratton said.
“Everything I drove raced very well. It was just one of those nights.”
What made Stratton’s run that much more
impressive was there was nary a favorite in sight. He swept the $150 early
double with a first-up That’ll Be the Rei ($20.20) in the $23,000, first-race
pace (1:53.2) and a down-the-road Mass Balance ($15) in the $27,000,
second-race trot (1:57).
After taking the third race off, Stratton
struck again in the $27,000, fourth-race pace, this time with a closing Ambro
Courage N ($43.40) in 1:54.3.
Win No. 4 came behind a come-from-behind
Lease Ness Monster ($32.60), roaring from the back of the bus in the $27,000,
fifth-race pace (1:54.4). Stratton was then parked leaving from the eight-hole
in the fifth race--backpedaling to last—then ‘won the bob’ in the night
feature.
Freeze Out ($15.60) rallied to take the
$40,000, seventh-race Filly and Mare Preferred Handicap Pace by a scant schnoz
in 1:54.2.
Stratton’s happy-half dozen concluded with
Platoon Seelster ($21), who scooped up the $27,000, eighth-race trot (1:57.1)
after 3-10 favorite Frost Free Hanover (George Brennan) jumped it off on the
lead.
Stratton ended his night finishing fourth,
third and second, respectively.
Additional props to driver Brent Holland
for his hat trick Friday night.
No one took down the Pick 5, so Saturday
night’s (Apr. 22nd) gimmick begins with a carryover of $3,206.32 (50-cent
base wager, races 7 through 11).
The Raceway’s seven-figure Saturday
includes the sport’s two richest races of the season to date.
$310,600 Blue Chip Matchmaker—8th
race (approximate post 9:35 PM)
PP-Horse
Driver
M/L
1-Lispatty
Brian Sears
7-1
2-Shesjustadelight N
Ron
Cushing
4-1
3-Mach it a Par
Jason
Bartlett
2-1
4-Mackenzie A
Jordan Stratton
20-1
5-Regil Elektra
Yannick Gingras 5-2
6-Medusa
Matt Kakaley
20-1
7-Bedroomconfessions
Scott
Zeron
6-1
8-Diva’s Image
Joe Bongiorno
20-1
$529,000 George Morton Levy Memorial—10th
race (approx. post 10: 15 PM)
PP-Horse
Driver
M/L
1-McWicked
Matt
Kakaley
3-1
2-Blood Brother
Brian
Sears
12-1
3-Missile J
Tim Tetrick
4-1
4-Keystone Velocity
Dan Dube
9-1
5-Somewhere in L A
Jason
Bartlett
2-1
6-Bit of a Legend N
Jordan Stratton 5-1
7-Provocativeprincen
Yannick Gingras 20-1
8-Soto
Brett Miller
12-1
