Monticello Raceway's one and three-quarter mile 'Monticello Marathon' will be taking place on Monday, December 15, as eight trotters have been entered to contest the event.
The current World Record of for trotters racing at a one-and-three-quarter-mile distance over a half-mile track is 3:45:2, recorded in 1998 by Poppa IM at Monticello in late December.
“It’s (the old record) is a cinch to be beaten,” noted longtime track announcer Howard Oil, who has been calling Monticello races since 1984. "I called the race back in 1998 when the Joe Minieri-trained, Jack Rice-driven $4,000 claimer Poppa IM won a one-and-three-quarter-mile trot right here. And let me tell you on December 15 there are a whole lot of trotters in our race that are better than $4,000 claimers.”
The Monticello Marathon will include Monticello track record holder Match That who set a new standard for aged trotting mares at the 'Mighty M' this past summer with a 1:57:1 victory.
(With files from Monticello)