As is the norm, Thursday’s card of harness racing card at Monticello Raceway featured amateur racing.
On November 2, the Catskill Amateurs were featured in an eight-horse field that went to post for a purse $3,900. As the gate left, Jennifer Lappe and Lightning Strike spurted away from Post 6. She was followed by Fox Valley Leo and driver Monica Banca, the recent winner of the Catskill Amateur final held earlier in the year.
Lightning Strike and Lappe cut fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:27 before tripping the beam in 1:56.2 on her way to a two-length victory over the pocket-sitting Fox Valley Leo, with Sand Benelli (Bob Davis) finishing third.
It was the fifth win of the year for Lighting Strike, a nine-year-old gelding by Cam Terrific owned and trained by William Mintz of Harris, New York.
(with files from Monticello)