Tessa Seelster wins Friday $50K feature at Yonkers
March 3, 2017,by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, for Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Tessa Seelster (George Brennan $18.20) survived from first-up Friday night (March 3), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Mike Lizzi photo
Tessa Seelster scores off a first-over journey in the featured event at Yonkers Raceway on Friday evening.
Away fourth from post position four, ‘Tessa’ saw Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing) and Lispatty (Mark MacDonald) want in early. The latter reclaimed from the former just after a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. It was a soft :56.4 intermission before the eventual winner moved.
Tessa Seelster engaged toward a 1:25 three-quarters, while Apple Bottom Jeans (Matt Kakaley) was gapping that one’s advances. This helped none of the outside assignees, notably just-over-even-money Mackenzie A (Joedan Straton), Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett) and Bedroomconfessions (Scott Zeron). Only one of those would be heard from late.
It was Lispatty taking a short lead into the lane, but Tessa Seelster was about to wear her down. ‘Tessa’ prevailed late, holding off a knifing-through Mach It A Par by a neck in 1:54.3. Shesjustadelight N, Lispatty and Apple Bottom Jeans came away with the remainder, with Bedroomconfessions sixth; Mackenzie A went nowhere to be last among the octet.
For fourth choice Tessa Seelster, a 5-year-old daughter of Shadow Play co-owned as Burke Racing by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Jonathan Newman, it was her third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $70.50, with the triple returning $300.
- Bedroomconfessions seeks third consecutive victory in Yonkers’ distaff feature (Thursday, March 02, 2017)
Pacing mare Bedroomconfessions is the dominant force in Yonkers Raceway’s Filly and Mare Open Handicap in the early stages of the 2017 racing season. After finishing second in her first start of the year Feb. 3, she has strung together back-to-back victories in the distaff feature for trainer and co-owner Tony Alagna and co-owners Myron and Stephanie Bell of Riverview Racing, LLC. With $61,250 in the bank this year, she leads all distaffers in purse money earned two months into the year.