Last year when Monticello Raceway presented its inaugural Junior Free For All it was believed to have been a harness racing first.
“Never, at least to my knowledge, did a racetrack ever card a race in which all the drivers carried a ‘Jr.’ after their names like our Junior Free For All did last year,” noted Eric Warner, the track's director of racing. “It was a fan favourite and we’re bringing it back again this season.”
On Monday, June 17, eight juniors will again line-up behind the mobile starting gate and compete in the second edition of the Mighty M’s Junior Free For All, which will be the sixth race on the card that afternoon.
“This race is meant as a tribute to all dads, but especially to the fathers of the competing drivers,” Warner added. “We don’t race on Sundays or we would have scheduled this race on Father’s Day (June 17).”
As luck would have it, the track's leading driver, Bruce Aldrich Jr., has drawn the 5-2 favourite in the race in the presence of Lady Belle, and they’ll start from the two-hole.
Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr., the 18-time driving champ at Monticello, was off the board in the inaugural event, but arguably will fare better this time when he jumps up behind Reilette, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, and leaves from post three.
Strangely, KZ Bezz, the pacing mare who won last year’s Junior Free For All in a 1:57.4 clocking, will be looking to make it two-for-two this year. Driven last season by Greg Decker Jr., this time she’ll have a new driver in Jimmy Taggart Jr. since he drew her in the lottery drawing for the horses.
Peter Lutman Jr. may have be the sleeper in the contest with Hannahs Creek and the pole position. Two starts back the eight-year-old mare won at Monticello in 1:59 on the engine and a trip like that on Monday may put Lutman in the winner’s circle.
Other drivers featured in this contest include: Jimmy Marohn Jr., Joe Ricco Jr., Johnny De Simone Jr., and Jimmy Doherty Jr.
It should be known that both driving assignments and post positions were drawn by lot.
Here’s the field for the Junior Free For All with post positions, drivers and morning line odds listed:
1. Hannahs Creek - Peter Lutman Jr. - 7-2
2. Lady Belle - Bruce Aldrich Jr. - 5-2
3. Reillette - Billy Parker Jr. - 3-1
4. Musical Maven - Jimmy Marohn Jr. - 10-1
5. KZ Bezz - Jimmy Taggart Jr. - 4-1
6. Eden First - Joe Ricco Jr. - 8-1
7. Bouncy Three - Jimmy Doherty Jr. - 9-2
8. Asian Express - Johnny DeSimone Jr. - 12-1
Post time for the 13-race card on Monday, June 17 will be at the usual 12:50 p.m. The Junior Free For All will be race number six.
-(Monticello Raceway)