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 February 3, she has strung together back-to-back victories in the distaff feature for trainer and co-owner Tony Alagna and co-owners Myron & 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.
“She’s a beautiful, beautiful mare,” Myron Bell admired. “We really enjoy racing her.”
Despite Bedroomconfessions’ early-season success, it’s unusual for Bell to race a mare this late into her career. Now a five-year-old, Bedroomconfessions was nearly retired to be bred to two-time Pacer of the Year Captaintreacherous, who Bell stands at Hanover Shoe Farms in Pennsylvania.
“Bedroomconfessions was supposed to be bred to Captaintreacherous this year, but we wanted to race her this winter to see if she improved as a five-year-old,” Bell said. “This is the first time we’ve raced a mare this long in a long time, but I’d be foolish not to because when you have a mare that’s good - she’s good enough to be on the board all the time - that’s important.”
Bedroomconfessions is a homebred for Bell by American Ideal. Bell purchased her dam Turnoffthelights as a yearling for $20,000 at the urging of his wife, Stephanie.
“She picked out Turnoffthelights. She knows I like the family,” Bell explained, referencing a long line of champions including La Paloma and Her Ladyship. “I have great respect for the family. I knew she wasn’t going to be a star on the racetrack, but I like the blood and then I bred her to American Ideal, so that’s how that came about.”
In her three years of racing thus far, Bedroomconfessions has established herself as one of the most consistent mares in the sport. Her 13 victories include a division of the Bluegrass at the Red Mile in 2015 and she rarely misses the board in stakes company. Overall, Bedroomconfessions has finished in the money in 32 of her 56 races, good for $770,420. Being a homebred has made the ride with Bedroomconfessions all the more special.
“When you buy a yearling or you breed a yearling and you race them at two and three in the major stakes races, it’s a pleasure. She’s been a good mare for us for years now,” Bell admired. “Breeding your own horse and they turn out as well as they do, we’re very proud of her, very proud of her.”
Despite her impressive resume, Bedroomconfessions scarcely visited the hilltop oval at Yonkers at ages two and three. She made her first local appearance in 2015 when she finished third in the Lismore Pace before winning a division of the New York Sire Stakes and finishing off the board in the Sire Stakes Final later in the same year.
Since December, Bedroomconfessions has racked up two wins and three seconds at Yonkers in six starts as she chases the lucrative purse money and prepares for the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, which begins Friday, March 17 and is Bedroomconfessions’ first major engagement of the season.
“We just staked her for every event this year,” Bell said. “We’ll try to space her races; we won’t race her every week, naturally. But in the Blue Chip, you get 25 points every time you show up, so you almost have to show up unless you win every week to get enough points to get in the final. I will race her, but not over race her.”
This Friday (March 3), Bedroomconfessions and driver Scott Zeron will start from post position eight as the 5-2 morning line second choice after taking last week off. While he is hopeful, Bell is being realistic about his chances from the far outside, which produces winners at just two percent.
“We gave her last week off because we knew she was going to draw the outside anyway. We’re trying to keep her fresh going into the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series,” Bell explained. “We’re handicapped with the eight hole and the eight hole is not to our liking. I have no illusions that she’s going to win from the eight hole. If she races well and stays sharp, I’m happy.”
Mach It A Par, winner of last week’s Filly and Mare Open Handicap, will start directly to Bedroomconfessions’ inside in Friday’s $50,000 feature as the race’s 2-1 morning line choice. Ron Burke’s Tessa Seelster landed the favourable post four and is 6-1 on the morning line. Last week’s runner-up, Mackenzie A, starts from post six and is 7-1. Arielle Lynn, Lispatty, Shesjustadelight N, and Apple Bottom Jeans complete the field. First post time is 7:10 p.m.
For Friday's entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Yonkers Raceway.
(with files from SOA of NY)