Would you like to have your horse’s name in the record books? If so, Monticello Raceway is offering a chance for that to happen in its 1-3/4 mile trot slated for Wednesday afternoon, December 19, dubbed "The Monticello Marathon."

During the 2009 season, the last time the Mighty M presented the Monticello Marathon, Pembroke Prayer and driver Mike Micallef established a new world record at that distance when they toured the double oval in a time of 3:40. Pembroke Player erased the former standard of 3:42.4 set the previous year by Lively Moment, also at Monticello Raceway.

On Wednesday afternoon, December 19 trotters from near and far will have a chance to get their name in the record books when the Mighty M will once again will present the odd-distance 1-3/4 mile race.

Over the years Monticello Raceway has pioneered some odd-distance contests and the track is still home to two world records.

On May 7, 2000 amateur driver Paul Minore drove Another Blizzard to a 2:15:3 victory over a distance of 1-1/8 miles which still is the current record for a trotter on a half-mile track. And the 3:40 mark alluded to above will be the record that the entered horses in this years Monticello Marathon will be shooting for in mid-December.

“Not knowing what caliber trotters might enter we are offering a purse somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000 according to the ability of the horses entered,” noted Eric Warner, the track's Director of Racing. “Obviously if we get better class trotters the purse will be higher.”

Warner is now in the process of rounding up trotters for the Monticello Marathon. Anyone interested in competing, or for further information please contact Warner in the race office at 845-794-4100 ext. 557; or call the track’s publicity office at 845-794-4100 ext. 455.