It is rare to have a 14-year-old veteran campaigner stay sound long enough to race until their 15th birthday, but on Wednesday (Dec. 27), Monticello Raceway had two 14-year-old warriors race in their final career start in the same race, Grecale As and Schalom G.

Grecale As retires as the winningest aged trotter in North America in 2017 with 17 wins. The son of Sugarcane Hanover had a stellar season with yearly earnings over $50,000. Grecale As is trained by Don Hoover of Ballston Spa, N.Y., and retired with 59 career wins in 299 starts, $393,089 in lifetime earnings, and a mark of 1:56 which he took as a 10-year-old.

The other elder statesman is Schalom G, a son of Toss Out and Pleasure Way who coincidentally took his lifetime mark (1:52.4) at the age of 10 also. Schalom G is owned and trained by harness racing blue-blood Jim Doherty, Jr. of Monticello, N.Y. He ended his career with 43 wins in 245 starts and $373,520 in earnings.

Schalom G (left) and Grecale As trackside after their final career race

Grecale As and Schalom G are both foreign-bred horses: Grecale As was foaled in Italy and Schalom G was foaled in Germany, both in 2003.

The barefoot Grecale As went out in style, scoring an easy wire-to-wire victory in 2:03.4 with Monticello Raceway leading dash winner James Devaux at the helm. Schalom G finished a game fourth.

(Monticello Raceway)