FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, December 15,
2017—Nothing, not even an outside assignment can stay Mackenzie A (Jordan
Stratton, $10) from the swift completion of her appointed rounds.
She did it again Friday night (Dec. 15th),
winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
With the seven lasses all moving inside
one notch after a pole-sitter defection, Mackenzie A floated away from the
gate, nestled fifth from her mandated impost. She watched as 3-10 fave Lady
Shadow (Jason Bartlett) went over Lovineveryminute (Dan Dube) before a :27.2
opening quarter-mile.
It was a 57-second intermission before the
Matchmaker conquering heroine did her usual first-up routine.
Mackenzie A hooked Lady Shadow in and out
of the 1:25.1 three-quarters, poking her schnoz in front entering the lane. She
drew out by a couple of lengths in a cold and snowy 1:54 (full disclosure that
the snow had stopped a few races earlier). Lady Shadow did save second, failing
at odds-on in both starts since her local return.
Pretty Image (Matt Kakaley), Annabeth
(Greg Merton) & Truth and Liberty (Eric Goodell) settled for the remainder.
For second
choice Mackenzie A, a 5-year-old Down Under daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven
co-owned by Ellen Kinser & Harry von Knoblauch Stables and trained by Peter
Tritton, it was her sixth win in 15 seasonal starts (third consecutive, fourth
in last five tries). The exacta paid $24.60, with the triple returning $110.50.
