Win streaks come and go but at Monticello Raceway Tracys Song is a bit of an anomaly. Not only did the eight-year-old Astreos mare win again today, but in doing so she equalled the track record of 15 wins-in-row, which was initially set in 2010 by Northern Chief and driver Mike Merton.
Bruce Aldrich, Jr. was at the controls for trainer Bob Lounsbury and he sent the her to the lead from the rail where they raced unchallenged throughout. And as she usually does while on the front-end Tracys Song opened up daylight on the final turn and cruised home an easy two-length winner over Extreme Terror in a time of 1:57.2 .
“She’s so used to heading back to the winners circle after a race that I’d bet she could do it even if I wasn’t on the sulky,” a joyful Bruce Aldrich, Jr. gushed to the group that had assembled to be part of the ceremonies. “She’s really something else.”
After her last race where she struggled to hold on for a neck victory, Tracys Song spent the previous week relaxing a grassy paddock as she did a few weeks ago.
After her victory on May 1 trainer Lounsbury turned her out for some warranted rest and when she came back to action two weeks later she rambled to an easy five length triumph. Today that scenario worked again.
“When I saw some of the other drivers in the race leaving the gate strongly I gunned my mare to the lead and made sure we settled everyone in behind us. I didn’t want to get caught in a pocket,” Aldrich said.
“No one challenged us and when we hit the last turn she opened up daylight and she was still strong at the wire. She was real fresh today and she did it all on her own.”
Aldrich was joined in the winner’s circle by a host of well wishers including trainer Lounsbury and owner Nancy Fugere who was nearly in tears after her mare’s 15th win.
“Holy cow I can’t believe a $4000 horse could be this good,” Fugere said. ”I’m still shaking.”
Sent off the prohibitive favourite Tracys Song paid $2.30 for win.
Besides Tracys Song’s victory both Lounsbury and Aldrich enjoyed something extra today. Lounsbury won three races from his barn and Aldrich reined four winners on the card.
Asked what’s next Tracys Song , Lounsbury thought for a moment. “Since $7m500 is currently the top claiming price here there’s no place else to race her and I refuse to race against the boys (in higher priced claimers).
“So all we can do now is keep going forward and at some point we might have move her to another track and put her in a for $12,500 or $15,000 tag and see what happens,” he said.
(Monticello Raceway)