For the second time in as many days a horse from the Mark Ford-barn has captured Monticello Raceway’s weekly feature. Yesterday, December 1 Keystone Rideau won the Open Pace and on Wednesday afternoon, December 2 another horse trained by Ford copped the Open Handicap Trot

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Katies Red Rose, a stately five-year-old chestnut mare overcame her outside position to score a 2:01.2 victory against the best trotters on the grounds for driver Mike Mac Neill.

Assigned the eight-hole by the racing office, MacNeil sent the daughter of Chip Chip Hooray to the front and they coasted to the lead just before the quarter mile time flashed :29.3.

They traveled unchallenged by the half in 1:00.2 and they still had an easy time of it as they rounded the clubhouse turn for the second time. As the field headed for the three-quarters, Bruce Aldrich, Jr. was the first to move with Crestwood Patriot and they rallied alongside the leader at which point MacNeill pulled the ear-plugs on Katies Red Rose.

The mare then trotted away from her challengers but in the lane her stride shortened and company came. Luckily for MacNeill and Katies Red Rose, the others ran out of racetrack.

Buck ID and Zeke Parker were rallying in the deep stretch but the wire came too soon for them and they finished one-half length behind the winner. Danijill, the three-year-old filly who had a good season in the New York Sire Stakes this year, was also charging at the end along down the pylons and finished third.

MacNeill, a newcomer at Monticello from the Canadian Maritimes, was a late driver change and he drove the mare perfectly.

“I looked at the [racing] program and saw that she races good in front so I took her to the lead after the start,” MacNeill said as he recalled some events in the race. “But as we headed to the three quarters she was sitting in my lap and I wanted her to go on so I had to pull the [ear] plugs earlier than I wanted to. And in the stretch I was definitely looking for [finish] wire.”

Wednesday's race marked the first time that Katies Red Rose competed at the Mighty M. She had come in from Saratoga Raceway and her victory was her third consecutive.
Owned by Gates Mills Stable and Richard Paltani, it was the ninth seasonal triumph for Katies Red Rose, who now has just shy of $100,000.

(Monticello Raceway)