Now the Italian Americans have someone to cheer for in Monticello Raceway’s Heritage Drivers Series finale after Mike Forte drove Velvety Smooth to an easy 1:58.2 triumph in the Godfather Pace on Monday, August 27 at Monticello Raceway.
The race, which featured drivers of Italian extraction, was the sixth of the year-long series. Forte will now join the winners of the previous preliminary legs in the series final, dubbed the All-America Cup, later this fall.
Sent off as the betting favourite from the pole position, Forte was looped on the first turn, but when the field straightened and headed to the quarter, Forte was out and going with Velvety Smooth and the gained command as the timer registered :28.
The four-year-old I Am A Fool mare maintained a one and a half-length lead as she passed the halfway point, and was still easily leading the pack by the third stanza, clocked in 1:28.3. Around the paddock turn, Velvety Smooth began to pace away from her competition, and she opened up daylight with every stride. She ended up an easy seven and three-quarter-length winner.
“I thought she (Velvety Smooth) was good prior to the race, but I had no idea she was that good,” Forte related after his victory. “She was impressive and surprising.”
Velvety Smooth is owned by Carl Gillespie and Betsy Phillips and trained by Phillips. She paid $5.90 for win.
Forte had relatively little trouble winning the Godfather Pace, but he did have a big problem when he returned to the paddock with Velvety Smooth, who is known a nervous sort.
“I was carrying the blanket and the trophy, and as we entered the paddock gate she caught me by surprise when she bolted and ran up the grassy slope and then fell backwards right on me,” Forte said. “But it was my own fault. I should never have tried to carry the trophy and the blanket back to the paddock knowing she’s a nervous mare.”
Asked why he didn’t take himself off the rest of his mounts that afternoon, Forte explained, “I had a drive in every race today, and some had a real good chance of winning. I was sore, but not that bad.”
Later that evening he went to his family doctor and found that he had bruised ribs and a pulled muscle.
Forte is having a banner year at Monticello Raceway. His victory in the Godfather Pace was one of four on the card for the veteran reinsman.
He currently has driven 164 winners this season and has 3,158 wins in his career.
(With files from Monticello)
If they can find 8 Hispanic
If they can find 8 Hispanic drivers, then I am sure they might be able to help you with your issue. Maybe try contacting 8 drivers yourself and ask them if they will come drive next year and then contact the race office at Monticello to set it up.
I like Monticello Heritage
I like Monticello Heritage Idea. But for years they have excluded the largest ethnic group Hispanics.
Will Monticello some day stop ignoring the 53 million Hispanics in The USA