Cornishman N moved in to Monticello Raceway and in his first race at the track, despite making a break behind the gate, the veteran 12-year-old New Zealand bred rambled to a 2:00.3 victory. Then, the following week Cornishman N trotted to a new Monticello Raceway track record for older trotting geldings
when Bruce Aldrich Jr. guided him wire-to-wire in a time of 1:57.
Last week the trotter returned to the familiar sites of Yonkers Raceway, but against $30,000 claimers a fifth place finish was all he could muster. So his connections brought him back to Monticello and back to the Bob Lounsbury barn, and on Wednesday, November 9 Bruce Aldrich Jr. drove the veteran Armbro Invasion gelding to a 1:58.3 triumph in the track's $6,800 Winners Over Trot.
Aldrich showed that the trotter could race from behind as he sat back in fourth position while Samsawinner and Jimmy Taggart Jr. led the field through fractions of :29.3 and :59.1. As the field headed to the halfway point, Aldrich moved The Cornishman first-up and then tangled with Samsawinner as the two trotters poured on a :29-second third stanza.
The pair raced neck and neck around the final turn and through the stretch with Cornishman drawing off by a half length. Samsawinner rallied back, but at the wire Cornishman N prevailed by one and a half lengths. Samsawinner, who is trained by Bruce Aldrich Sr., went a gutsy mile, but came up short. Third place went to My Cool Breeze and driver Mike Merton.
“My horse put in a good trip and we just did win it,” said Aldrich. “Dad’s horse [Samsawinner] raced game and came back and almost beat us.”
Owned by Jonathan Klee Racing LLC and Mo Coo Inc. Cornishman N paid $4.40 for win. It was one of four winners on the card for Aldrich as he a Zeke Parker keep battling for leading driver honours. Not to be out done, Parker also reined four winners on the card and didn’t pick up any ground -- he still trails Aldrich by 12 wins.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)