Category: Racing News

The Open Trot featured a full field of 8, the betting public made Secret Or Not (PP5) the 3/5 betting favorite, he left the gate and gradually made his way to the top over Win And Dream. Chip Chip Conway starting from post 6 left alongside Secret or Not was stuck in no man’s land on the outside, Jim Taggart tapped the iron horse for more speed to make the top but Chip made an uncharacterized break and took himself out of contention. Secret or Not remained on the front end through splits of 29, 1:01.1. Itsoneofthose (Schwartz) was the first to start the outer flow past the half. Secret or Not still showed the way to the next panel of 1:30.4, he was never really tested and cruised home an easy winner in 1:59.4 for his third win on the year for trainer Todd Buter.  Win And Dream (Paguet Jr.) was second followed by ER Shane (Aldrich)

Cinnamon Stick seems to be rounding into top form after a slight layoff, this afternoon he overtook Chamba (C. Stratton) in deep stretch for the win in 1:58.3, for his first win of the season for the Greg Decker trained son of Jailhouse Jesse for owner Mike Mulligan of Liberty, NY, the win gave Greg Merton a triple on the day. Jim Devaux had a double on the afternoon.

The battle is on for Leading Dash Trainer, Gary Messenger and Danny Gill are locked in first place with 32 wins each, last year’s leading trainer Laura Aldrich is right behind them with 31 wins.

Mike Merton has a strangle hold on leading driver stats with 81 wins, Jim Taggart is 14 wins behind him in second with 67 wins, Greg Merton rounds out the top three with 64 wins.

Brandon Parker returned to the winner’s circle aboard Virtual Kiss in 1:58.4 – $3.10.

After her win this afternoon, Bettor Lady (G. Merton) is tied with 3 other horses in the nation for the most wins, today she notched her ninth seasonal win, the daughter of Bettors Delight led from start to finish to hold off Prairie Merida in 1:59.2 – $2.30 for trainer Danny Gill.  Bettor Lady sports an impressive resume this year, with 14 starts 9 wins, 3 seconds and a third place finish with almost $19,000 in earnings, she is owned by Michael Milazzo of Goshen, NY. Gill would also win with his Barnabas in 1:57.1 – $4.60 in the EWEY Pace with Joe Lee in the bike.

The Open Pace saw Trevor’s Ace, who started from post position 7, sit seventh and last the entire mile while Some Deal Hanover (B. Aldrich) and Shane Adam were battling it out for the lead. Some Deal Hanover threw down a 28.1 second panel after a half in 56.2. In the paddock turn Beebeetee was making his move, sitting last at the top of the lane was Trevor’s Ace, Adam Moeykens got after his mount and was flying late in the lane to get up for the win over the pace sitting Some Deal Hanover in 1:55.4 $26.00, the winner is trained by Murray Bassen.

Gary Messenger and Jim Taggart Jr. teamed up for a back-to-back double with Major Rosita 1:58.2 – $3.80 and KJ Leo who scored in a wire-to-wire effort in 1:56.1 – $6.20.

Bettor Lady became the winningest horse on the grounds, the Dan Gill trained daughter of Bettors Delight scored her impressive eighth win on the year with regular pilot Greg Merton at the helm in 1:58.3 -$2.30. Greg Merton, Dan Gill and Bettors Delight all had doubles in the afternoons early Daily Double as they also scored with Bettor Rolla On A 1:57 – $8.40.  With the training double, Danny Gill eclipsed Laura Aldrich for second place, and is now tied with the leader Gary Messenger with 30 wins each.

Adam Adamczyk driving Sportskeeper benefited from a pocket journey while Barnabas (J.  Lee) and Thisishowwedoit (M. Monaco) battled it out on the front end to slip through the rail for the win in third leg of the EWEY Series in 1:58.2 – $3.60, Know The Fox (Ciavardini) was second with Thisishowwedoit taking the show position.

Trevor’s Ace and Adam Moeykens stole the show in the Open Pace with a commanding 7 length romp in 1:55.2 – $6.60 over KJ Unreal (Taggart) and Beebeetee (T. Merton) getting up for third.  It was the 3^rd win of the year for the Murray Bassen trainee.

82-year-old Rock Vinci drove his 4-year-old Check Six gelding, It’s a Thriller to his first lifetime win in 2:02.1 – $15.60.

Despite bad post positions since the beginning of the year, Perfect Queen continues to hold her own with 3 wins in 2024, this afternoon she started from post 3 and used a tactic that has worked well for her in the past and accounted for 2 of her wins, she went to the top and didn’t look back.

The betting favorite was driven by Thomas Merton who hustled the 5-year-old American Ideal filly to the front end and reeled off splits of 28.2, 59, 1:27.3 enroute to a narrow win over Meadowbrook Krista (Taggart) in 1:56.2 – $4.10 to earn her fourth win on the year for Owner & Trainer Tiffany Barrett.

Leading Driver Mike Merton added a triple to his tally this afternoon, Hunters Gal (M. Merton) scored again for Art Green for her sixth seasonal win. We The Female reached the winners circle after 4 straight show finishes for Raheim Strong in 1:57.4 – $3.60.

Monticello, NY (April 11, 2024) – After the conclusion of competing in 3 NAADA Trot events on a muddy 8 race card at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday April 10th, members of NAADA (North American Amateur Drivers Association) and the Federation of the Homeless were on hand for a $2,500 check presentation in the winner’s circle after the last race of the day.

On behalf of the Sullivan County Federation of the Homeless was the Chairman of the board, Sam Wohl to accept the check from the Executive Secretary of NAADA Alicia Schwartz. The NAADA organization has been making contributions to the local food bank for over a decade, former marine and President of the Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association Alan Schwartz said in the winner’s circle “We are glad to be able to help out in a small way to those less fortunate in the community during these tough times, over the years we have donated more than $20,000 to the Federation and are hopeful we’ll be able to continue to do so long into the future.”

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It was a busy Trot Day this afternoon at the Mighty M where the 8-race card featured 6 Trot races, with 3 splits of the NAADA and 2 Open Trots.

Alan Schwartz aboard Kashas Boy got the day going with a wire-to-wire score in 2:01.4 – $4.50 in the first NAADA event, the former Totter of the Year Warrawee Preferred, won his NAADA race with Lee Morris in the bike for winning trainer Ms. McKenzie Sowers in 2:01.2 – $36.80.

The first Open Trot saw Emma Town Bud overtake the tempo setting Itsoneofthose in 1:59 – $26.40 for Trainer – Driver Pierre Bovay.  In the Open Trot #2 Woodside Emileah (J. Taggart) lead from start to finish in a 3 length win over Patrick Hanover (M. Merton) in 2:00.1 – $ 5.30, The afternoons finale the Open Trot 2 was won by Woodside Emileah (J. Taggart) in 2:00.1 -$5.30.

The third heat of NAADA saw an extremely tight finish in the 7^th race with 3 horses in a blanket finish which saw the longest shot on the board 20-1 Flashy Swan initially cross the wire first but was set down and placed 3^rd due to a pylon infraction, giving Skyway Professor (M. Zuccarello) the win in 2:02.  In the 3^rd race there was a dead heat between I Turn Heads & Village Blue Chip in 2:01.1 – $2.60 – $2.10.

Leading driver Mike Merton enjoyed a driving triple in the afternoon.

This week’s Open Pace had a semi new fresh face by the way of Beebeetee, after opting to racing out of town for a month from the Dan Gill barn, he made his return as the second longest shot on the board in the afternoons featured race.  The heavy favorite Hopnroll Heaven got roughed up a tad getting the lead after a brisk opening panel in 27.2, once on top he would continue to set the tempo. Coming to the half the pack was in straight alignment with Beebetee second to last In the 7 horse field, as Caviart Reagan was withdrawn, after passing the leaders past the half in 56.2, Jim Taggart Jr. started the outer flow with KJ Unreal with Beebeetee tucked in right behind him with Hopnroll Heaven still showing the way in 1:25.2. Beebeete started passing horses quickly and ranged into contention and continued to make up ground on the slightly tiring Hopnroll Heaven to get yup for the win with Some Deal Hanover (Aldrich Jr.) finished second followed by Hopnroll Heaven, the winner was driven by Thomas Merton 1:55 -$24.60  The win was one of 2 training wins on the card for trainer Danny Gill, he also scored with Barnabas (A. Adamcyk) in the EWEY Pace

Kyle Dibenedetto took both halves of the early Daily Double aboard Viviens Delight 1:57.3 – $5.10 and Airy Shadow in a brisk 1:54.4 by getting through in the passing lane.

On Wednesday April 10, the NAADA (North American Amateur Drivers Association) will be making their annual contribution by donating $2,500 to the Sullivan County Federation of the Homeless Veterans Food Bank.  This has been an annual event by the NAADA Association of giving back to these less fortunate in the community. Over the years NAADA has contributed over $15,000 to the Food Bank, this effort has been ongoing for over 10 years

Slated to be on hand to make the presentation in the winner circle will be President of the Monticello Harness Horseman Associations Horsemen (MHHA) Alan Schwartz of the NAADA, a Marine veteran, and Jerry Fielding of the Catskill Amateur Drivers Club, an Army veteran, and Cathy Krieter, Director of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless.

Due to extremely high winds, rain and poor visibility the decision was made to cancel the card on Wednesday April 3, after the fourth race due to safety concerns

The past performances show that When Home’N Dry cuts the mile, chances are he will be in the winner’s circle, this afternoon was no different. The betting public made him the co-favorite, scoring from post 3 with Bruce Aldrich Jr. at the helm. Pivotal caused 2 recalls for failure to come to the gate and was a Judges scratch, reducing the 7-horse field to 6. Home’N Dry was the first to the front end and dictated the tempo with splits of 28.3, 59.2. Before the half, Greg Merton driving the betting favorite Double Dealing started the outer tier with the winners of last week’s open Trot Chip Chip Conway in tow with Consus Victory (K. Dibenedetto) still in the garden spot. Home’N Dry continued to show the way to the next station in 1:28.4.  As they fanned out in the lane Consus Victory came off the rail and took a shot at the leader but came up half a length short in 1:59 – $5.40, the Steve Ray trained Win and Dream (Paguet Jr.) came through the rail and finished third.

With the racing season approaching the quarter pole, Michael Merton leads all drivers with 63 wins, Jim Taggart is second with 51 wins, and Greg Merton third with 50. On the training side Gary Messenger and Danny Gill are tied with 24 wins, and last year’s Leading Trainer Laura Aldrich with 23 wins.

Mike Merton had a pair of winning drives and the tandem of Jim Taggart Jr. and Gary Messenger had 2 winners.  Woodside Emileah and Backster each now have a 2-race win streak going.

Monticello favorite, Chuck Poynton notched a driving win aboard the Maria Rice trained Giveitatry A in 1:54.4 – $9.90, for the fastest mile of the day.