by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — KZ Bezz won Monticello Raceway’s second annual Junior Free For All on Monday afternoon (June 17) when driver Jimmy Taggart, Jr. hustled her to the front and defeated seven rivals in a 1:58.3 clocking.

In what was almost an exact replica of last year’s race, Taggart, who drew the mount behind KZ Bezz this season, raced her the same way that she was raced in the contest last year when Greg Decker, Jr. won the event with her in the nearly identical time of 1:57.4.

Geri Schwarz photo

KZ Bezz and Jimmy Taggart, Jr. won the Junior Free For All.

Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Taggart gained command before the first turn and had a 1-1/2 length lead over Lady Belle and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. as the quarter-mile timer flashed :28.

Taggart got KZ Bezz by the half in :59, two lengths in front of Lady Belle, and that margin stayed the same when the two passed the third stanza in 1:28.3.

From that point Taggart kept the pedal to the metal and KZ Bezz began to open up daylight and she finished some six lengths ahead of Lady Belle. Third place went to Hannah’’s Creek, driven by Peter Lutman, Jr.

Taggart was asked why he decided to send KZ Bezz to the lead when she has been racing from behind in most of her previous starts.

“I thought she was the best in here so I wanted to put her on the front end,” Taggart said. “I remember that’s the way she won this race the race last year against similar company.”

Although KZ Bezz won five times last season, this was the 8-year-old Dream Away mare’s first win in 21 trips to the post this year.

KZ Bezz is owned by Tom and Susan McGuiness of Hicksville, N.Y. Trained by Mike McCauley she paid $4.60 for win.

Other drivers who competed included (in the order in which they finished) Billy Parker, Jr., Jimmy Marohn, Jr., Joe Ricco, Jr., Jimmy Doherty, Jr. and John De Simone, Jr.

A strange thing about this year’s Junior Free For All probably went unnoticed by most people. But put this into perspective.

The race was one that was drawn only from the entries that were in the box for the June 17 races just so eight drivers who carry a ‘Jr.’ after their surname could compete in the event which was meant to pay tribute to dads and was raced one day after the Father’s Day Holiday, only because the Mighty M is dark on Sundays.

And of the eight starters in this year’s Junior Free For All, as luck would have it, only KZ Bezz competed in the race last year.

For the record, the horses and the drivers in the event were chosen by a lottery drawing.