BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, June 30,
2017—Locally-debuting Blue Moon Stride (Brian Sears, $5.80) handled the
Westchester crowd with few issues Friday night (June 30th), winning
Yonkers Raceway’s $55,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
The field, thorough first-half-mile
raindrops, was pared to half-dozen after Call Me Queen Be (ill) and Sell a Bit
N (late for Lasix) were both withdrawn.
In play from position No. 4 (in once notch
due to one of those defections), Blue Moon Stride worked around
She’sjusadelight N (Ron Cushing), taking the lead right at a :27.1 opening
quarter-mile.
It was a 56-second intermission before
last week’s victress, Freeze Out (George Brennan), moved from fifth. That one,
as the 13-10 fave, challenged the leader in and out of a 1:23.3 three-quarters
before being put away.
Blue Moon Stride opened couple of lengths
entering lane before widening her stride to win by 3½ lengths in 1:52.2.
She’sjustadelight N chased with no shot, while Freeze Out tired to third. I
Deal in Kisses (Dan Dube) and Venus Delight (Brent Holland) came away with the
minors, while Jewel Leigh A (Mark MacDonald) was always outrun.
For second
choice Blue Moon Stride, a 4-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover Aussie
co-owned by Emilio & Marie Rosati and trained by Mark Harder, it was her
first win in 16 seasonal starts (career earnings over $760,000). The exacta
paid $15.20, the triple returned $30.40 and the superfecta was refunded due to
insufficient starters.
A reminder
regarding Saturday’s (July 1st) simulcast of the Dubai Duty Free
Irish Derby from the Curragh. Races 3 thru 8 shall be imported, with the Derby
going as the 7th race (approx. post 12:20 PM ). Mutuel windows
(fourth floor only) have an early 10 AM opening.
