On Thursday, April 12 at Monticello Raceway, during the 14th annual ‘Race For The Matzos,' the outcome was still up in the air late in the lane
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Four Starz Ransom and Digital Photo were slugging it out, but the former ended up going off stride as the pair neared the finish line. The miscue allowed Digital Photo to rally for a 2:05.2 victory in the dash for drivers of Jewish descent.
Alan Charles drove the winner confidently and luck was on his side when he got Digital Photo up in the final strides to pass the heavy favourite who was driven by Alan Schwartz. For Charles it was his second victory in the Passover races having won the event two years ago.
As this year event got underway Dave Yarock and B Muffler were the fastest from the gate and they trotted to the lead with Schwartz and Four Star Ransom tucked in the two hole. Charles and Digital Photo were a close third and the three trotters raced in that order until the backside where Schwartz moved Four Star Ransom for the lead and he was followed closely by Charles and Digital Photo.
Both trotters cleared B Muffler and they raced one-two on the final turn. When they headed for home surprisingly it was a horse race between the odds-on favorite and the 11-1 long shot.
“I thought we were much the best but when I saw Digital Photo coming at us in the lane I knew it was trouble. And when my horse went off –stride was all over for me,” Schwartz said dejectedly.
“I felt that I was going to catch him anyway but when I saw [Four Starz Ransom] go off-stride it felt like the parting of the Red Sea,” Charles related.
Next up in the Heritage Drivers Series is the Lady Godiva Pace. That race, exclusively for females, is usually contested in February, but it had to be postponed, and will now be presented on Monday, May 14, one day after Mothers Day.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)