After winning a trotting race under saddle at Goshen Historic Track last Sunday Rev It Now, hooked to a sulky once again, won Thursday afternoon’s NAADA Trot at Monticello Raceway.
Hannah Miller drove the veteran trotter to a come-from-behind one length victory over Typical New Yorker (Alan Schwartz) in a time of 2:00.3.
Notoriously a slow starter, Rev It Now left from the seven hole and was once again was at the back of the pack when the Schwartz and Typical New Yorker led the field by the first quarter in :29.4. And in doing so, Schwartz kept Hallanet (Paul Minore) and Starsaboverallerage (Allen Sisco) on the limb. Seeing what was developing in front of her Miller moved her trotter third-over as the field rounded the paddock turn and headed to the halfway point.
Sixth at the half in 1:00 and some four lengths off the lead, Miller was content to follow her cover past the third panel and then on the final turn she moved Rev It Now three-deep. Still fifth and four lengths behind Schwartz’s trotter at that point, Miller began to urge Rev It Now. Under strong urging Rev It Now seemed to hit another gear and trotted by the leaders in the deep stretch to score his seventh seasonal triumph. Third place went to Hallanet who raced parked- out for the entire mile and was just 1-1/4 lengths behind the winner at the wire.
“I had to get after ‘Rev’ a bit in the stretch but he responded and finished strong,” Miller said. “He’s such a nice old guy and he seems sweeter after racing him a couple of times under saddle.” (Prior to his 2:07.4 victory at Historic Track, Rev It Now won a RUS in 2:00.4 over the mile oval at Gaitway Farms).
"That’s for sure,” interjected trainer Nick Surick as he helped to unhook the sulky upon Rev It Now’s return to the paddock. “There’s no doubt in my mind that those races under saddle helped to change his attitude.”
Co-owned by Miller and Surick, along with Hannah’s dad, Erv Miller, Rev It Now who was sent off as third choice in the betting and paid $8.20 for win.
Miller missed a chance at a driving double when she finished second with Rise Above It in the Catskill Amateur’s Club Pace.
Sent off as a prohibitive favourite and despite a covered second-over trip, Rise Above It couldn’t gain any ground on the leader and pacesetter, Tyler Great (Allen Sisco) who cruised along on the front end and then kicked in a :28.3 final quarter to win the event by three lengths in a time of 1:58.1.
“I was in striking distance when we headed into the stretch but we couldn’t catch him (Tylers Great), especially when he had so much pace at the end of the mile,” Miller said after the race.
Allen Sisco drove Tylers Great to his second victory in 20 starts this year and he bettered his previous seasonal win time by four seconds. Matt Zuccarello and Minnesota Hanover had a two-trip behind the pacesetter (Tylers Great) but was over taken in the stretch by Rise Above It and finished third.
Tylers Great owned by Brenna Gill and trained by her hubby Dan Gill, paid $11.20 for win.
(NAADA)