News From Monticello

Six Trotters To Race One & Three Quarter Miles On December 16

The Monticello Marathon, the one and three-quarter-mile trot, has attracted six horses. The race will be presented on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16 at Monticello Raceway.

The post positions were drawn today, and though Monticello had hoped to have a full field, director of racing Eric Warner still deemed it competitive and placed the race on the betting card for that day.

The event has been slated to go to post as Race 5. Last year’s winner, Lively Moment, was entered again this year.

In December of last year, the daughter of Mr Lavec established a World Record over the one and three-quarter-mile distance on a half-mile track when she defeated six others in a time of 3:42:4.

In her last outing at Monticello, Lively Moment finished second, beaten two lengths in a conditioned, 'non-winners' event which was clocked in 2:03:2 over a muddy racetrack. On November 18 she was victorious in a time 1:59:2.

Lively Moment is owned by Tom Carpenito’s King of the Castle Stable. Trainer Bob Lounsbury will again hand the lines to Bruce Aldrich, Jr. It was Aldrich who drove Lively Moment to her World Record victory last year.

“We’ll be looking to lower our own World Record and I think we can do it,” Carpenito said. “We’ll just need a fast track that day.”

The race, with post positions and drivers, lines-up as follows:

Post - Horse - Driver
1 - Dan - Jordan Stratton
2 - Millbrook Millie - Cedric Washington
3 - Valcyon Days - Billy Parker, Jr.
4 - Pembroke Player - Mike Micallef
5 - Lively Moment - Bruce Aldrich, Jr.
6 - Iliketherain - TBA

Possibility Of Two Au Revoir Races On December 31 At Monticello

Monticello Raceway instituted the Au Revoir Pace for 14-year-olds only on December 31, 1991. Over the years only two others filled. Now the track is on the verge of possibly having two Au Revoir races: a trot and a pace.

“There has been considerable interest in our race this season and there are quite a few 14-year-olds still racing at this time, many who have inquired about our Au Revoir,” noted Shawn Wiles, the track's general manager.

Director of racing Eric Warner said he has heard from owners of at least five pacers and five trotters who have inquired about the Au Revoir; most recently Mike Reynolds who called about the possibility of racing his trotter, Boston Bambino, one final time before the curtain comes down on his racing career.

Warner said he also has heard from the connections of trotters, Another Lindy, Im Dam Goog, Number One Fan and Twin B Frisco who might be interested in competing.

He also has had inquiries from the connections of pacers Born Star N, Hanley Elias, Oops What A Promise Uphill Battle, and Am I Next.

“I know nothing is definite, but if the ones I’ve heard from all enter, and if we can get one more trotter and one more pacer, we might have enough to present a pair of Au Revoir races,” Warner said with a smile. “But it would be a real shame to have so much interest and fail to present at least one 14-year-old race this year.”

The 'Mighty M' is offering a $7,500 purse for the Au Revoir.

Anyone wanting more information, or to potentially enter an horse in the Au Revoir races, can contact Warner in the racing office by calling 845-794-4100 (Ext. 557) or they can contact the track's publicity office at extension 455.

(Monticello)