Every bit of Imposter A’s 1:56.2 clocking was needed to out-foot Mt Vernon Hanover to the finish line at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday afternoon, April 3, and in doing so the Australian-bred nine-year-old gelding moved to the head of the class in North America in races won this year by a harness horse
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With Mike Forte again at the controls for trainer Elisha Lafreniere, the veteran Fake Left gelding fired to the lead from the three-hole and proceeded to make every pole a winning one. Racing in front by open lengths throughout most of the mile, still Imposter A needed a :28.3 final stanza to hold off a menacing Mt Vernon Hanover, who despite making up almost three lengths from the top of the stretch still fell short by a head when the photo finish camera snapped.
“It seemed we had things well in hand most of the mile, but in the lane Mike [Merton with Mt Vernon Hanover] came charging at us and I had to urge Imposter to ward off the challenge,” Forte said. “He [Imposter A] is a gritty old guy and he dug in and we emerged victorious.”
The 1:56.1 triumph by Imposter A is a seasonal mark for the pacer, who is owned by C&F Associates of Hillsdale, New Jersey. With his victory, Imposter A joins the California-owned and Cal Expo-raced Double Dakota at the top of the North American leaderboard.
In other action, newcomer Kevin Switzer Jr., who was the leading driver last year in the state of Maine, added another pair of victories to his seasonal resume as he continues to move up on the local leaderboard. His 36 wins currently rank him fifth.
(Monticello Raceway)