On Wednesday, October 26, the Bruce Aldrich, Jr.-driven Cornishman N established a new Monticello Raceway track record for older trotters when he streaked to an 11-length victory in a 1:57 during the weekly trotting feature.
Cornishman N’s victory, which was the New Zealand-bred’s 10th of the season, prompted announcer Howard Oil to exclaim “How many times do you see a 12-year old set a track record?”
The 1:57 clocking erased the former standard of 1:57.3 set last July by another old-timer, Benns Sure Thing, a mere nine-year-old .
Cornishman N is owned by Jonathan Klee Racing, Inc. and Mo Coo, Inc. He paid just $2.80 for win.
Now just two weeks in the Bob Lounsbury barn, Cornishman N, an Armbro Invasion gelding, is now two for two with the Aldrich-Lounsbury connection.
“They (the owners) sent him (Cornishman N) to me so he could race against easier competition with hopes that we could ‘braven-him up’ and get him to finish strong, because in his last two a starts at Yonkers he faded badly in the stretch,” Lounsbury said. “We won last week by a length in 2:00.3, and today’s 11-length win should accomplish the owners' mission here at Monticello.”
The triumph with Cornishman N was one of four wins on the Wednesday card for Aldrich. He also won with Terrific Seven (2:01.3), Lifes Bandit (1:58.3) and Upheld (1:59.1).
Over the past week, Aldrich has taken command of the local leaderboard and has jumped ahead of Zeke Parker in races won this season. Although Parker won a pair on the Wednesday card, the 17-time 'Mighty M' driving champion finds himself currently trailing Aldrich in wins 324-315.
(Monticello)