KZ Bezz won Monticello Raceway’s second annual Junior Free For All on Monday, June 17. 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.
Sent off as the 6-5 post-time favourite, Taggart gained command before the first turn and had a one and a half-length lead over Lady Belle and driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. as the quarter mile timer flashed up in 28 seconds.
Taggart got KZ Bezz by the half in :59, two lengths in front of Lady Belle. 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. She finished some six lengths ahead of Lady Belle. Third place went to Hannahs Creek, driven by Peter Lutman Jr.
Asked why he decided to send K Z Bezz to the lead when she has been racing from behind in most of her previous starts, Taggart said, “I thought she was the best in here, so I wanted to put her on the front end. I remember that’s the way she won this race the race last year against similar company.”
KZ Bezz is owned by Tom McGuiness and Susan McGuiness of Hicksville, New York. The mare, who is trained by Mike McCauley, returned $4.60 on a successful Win wager.
(With files from Monticello)