According to the United States Trotting Association, 59 fourteen-year-olds have raced this year -- many that are still competing at this time -- which may give Monticello Raceway's director of racing, Eric Warner, a bigger pool of possible entrants in the track's Au Revoir Pace, the special race exclusively for 14-year-olds.
“I’ve had multiple inquiries already concerning our Au Revoir Pace, which over the years has become a final event for 14-year-old horses,” Warner said. “Though we are not always able to fill the Au Revoir, we have consistently tried since we first presented the race in 1991. But this year I have a good feeling that we may be able to fill (the race).”
Warner doesn’t want to get overly optimistic, but secretly he feels that this year he may be able to get two races filled; one a trot and one a pace.
“Providing their stock remains as they currently are, I have tentative confirmation from trainers of four trotters and four pacers who would like to compete in the Au Revoir, and with just a few more of either gait we could hit the jackpot this year and present two 14-year-old races,” Warner added.
Perhaps Warner is ‘counting his chickens before they hatch,’ but like in seasons past when Monticello Raceway couldn’t fill the race, it again won’t be for a lack of trying.
Some potential starters include pacers Oopswhatapromise, Uphill Battle, Hanley Elias, Bonn Star N and trotters Twin B Brisco, Im Dam Goog, Boston Bambino and Another Lindy.
All in the standardbred sport know that once a horse turns 15 years old — each horse has a birthday on New Years Day — that for all intents and purposes their racing careers are over.
Anyone wanting more information about the Au Revoir, or perhaps to make a tentative entry, they can do so by calling Warner in the racing office at 845-794-4100 (Ext. 557) or they can call the track's publicity office at extension 455.
(With files from Monticello)