Bolt Of Silk and driver Ken Devaux bolted through between horses at the top of the lane and then they angled back to the pylons in mid-stretch as Devaux did his version of 'Calvin Borail' and guided his pacer down the passing lane to a 2:00:2 victory in Monticello Raceway’s Maple Leaf Pace on Monday, May 24.
“They were battlin’ up front the whole way and I was just waiting for a chance to move,” a happy and smiling Devaux said in the winner’s circle when he accepted the trophy. "But for a while, though, I didn’t think I’d see any daylight then a whole opened at the top of the stretch and we zigged and zagged all the way to the wire.”
For Ken Devaux patience paid off. During the early part of the race there was plenty of action on the front end, but he bided his time along the pylons the entire mile and Bolt Of Silk hardly ever got a call. However, with some slick maneuvering in the homestretch, Bolt Of Silk got the final call from announcer Howard Oil when they charged to a head victory in the race strictly for drivers of Canadian heritage.
When the mobile starting gate sped away, Bruce Borden and Notimefordreaming took command as favoured Mojo Mama and driver Jimmy Devaux ranged up to challenge for the lead. But Borden played hardball and forced Devaux to settle in behind him as the field headed into the paddock turn.
As Notimefordreaming headed to the halfway point, Jimmy Devaux was out and going again. Though they ranged alongside the leader, they never could pass and the two raced head to head all the way to the finish line. And had Ken Devaux not found racing room in the lane, Borden’s racing strategy would have paid off. However they ended up second best as Mojo Mama still couldn’t pass and finished third.
For what was a field of lesser-calibre pacers, the race was one of the best of the day, especially when Maxime Velaye rallied JL Lucy three wide coming off the final turn and four horses came to a blanket finish. Velaye, 22, who came in from Ontario, travelled the farthest to compete today. Mark Gingrich also came a long way to drive, having come in from Pocono Downs. His horse finished sixth.
Bolt Of Silk, owned and trained by Bill Mintz, paid $10.80 for the win. It was her first seasonal victory.
The event was the fifth leg of Monticello Raceway’s Heritage Drivers Series. Devaux has now earned a berth in the series final—the All America Pace—which will be contested in early October. He’ll join the winners of the previous Heritage Drivers Series events.
(Monticello)