Before the one and three-quarter-mile Monticello Marathon the query was ‘will class prevail over the longer distance?' Not surprisingly, it did
.
Pembroke Prayer, the undisputed class of the contest sent off at odds of 1-2, won the one and three-quarter-mile trot in World Record time on under sunny, yet windy, conditions this afternoon at Monticello Raceway. Mike Micallef drove the winner to a six and a half-length triumph in a time of 3:40 over the half-mile track. The time erased the former record mark of 3:42:4 set a year ago by Lively Moment.
Lively Moment was back to defend her crown and was one of the six trotters entered, but unfortunately she made a break on the first turn. Though there was still a long way to go in the event, she never really got back into the race and finished a well-beaten fifth.
But the afternoon belonged to Pembroke Prayer and Micallef. The diminutive driver sent his trotter to the lead when the gate folded. The duo led to the quarter in :32:4, at which point Jordan Stratton, driving Dan, took command without much resistance from Micallef. Micallef and Pembroke Player settled in for the brief two-hole trip.
The two trotters were still one-two as they approached the half-mile point, but just before they got there Micallef sent Pembroke Prayer back to the lead. The field then raced 'Indian file' past the three quarters in 1:36:2, with Micallef swinging on Pembroke Prayer. They passed the mile distance in 2:09:3 and one and quarter-mile panel in 2:39: 3 with Pembroke Prayer still well in command.
The final time around the double oval, Jimmy Taggart, Jr. moved Valcyon Days out to challenge and the pair made a muted run at the leader, but Pembroke Prayer trotted away and passed the one and a half-mile stanza in 3:08:4, at which point Micallef was still holding tight reins. But when they had a quarter-mile left to trot, Micallef gave Pembroke Prayer his head and the classy veteran began to open up daylight between himself and the rest of the field. The duo scooted away by four lengths on the final turn, and from there only the margin of victory was in doubt.
Pembroke Prayer went on to record a six and a quarter-length victory. Dan finished second and Valcyon Days third.
When Monticello Raceway's director of racing, Eric Warner, presented the trophy to Micallef, he told the pilot, "you rated him (Pembroke Prayer) great.” Micallef replied quizzically: “Did I?”
Micallef continued, saying, “not going a long distance like this, I really didn’t know how fast or how slow to go, but I knew I had the best (in the race) and I wanted to give him every chance to win, so I figured I’d go slow when I could and when we needed to speed up I just stepped on the gas.”
Those who wagered on Pembroke Prayer cashed, but received just $3.00, $2.30 and $2.20 across the board.
(With files from Monticello)