All of the hype throughout the winter and spring will become a reality Monday (June 26) at Monticello Raceway, when this year’s freshman crop of pacing colts makes its pari-mutuel debut. They will compete for more than $140,000 in purses, with many of the sidewinders making their first start on a half-mile oval.
Going to post are two heats of New York Sire Stakes events, worth $53,500 and $54,500, and two divisions of the Excelsior Stakes, competing for $20,000 per dash.
The first Sire Stakes race is carded as Race 2. Howlenthehills (PP7) scored in a qualifier at Pocono Downs in 1:55.4. The son of American Ideal is trained by Travis Alexander and will be driven by Matt Kakaley. Scootermagrooter (PP3, Brandon Parker) has won in back-to-back qualifying performances at Vernon Downs for trainer Benny Eggers. Jones Hanover (PP2, Jordan Stratton) sports two runner-up finishes in qualifying tests. The most expensive yearling of the group, Jones Hanover was a $100,000 Harrisburg purchase and is trained by Jen Bongiorno.
The second division sports a handful of speedy youngsters. Travis Alexander has two separate entries, both straddled with outside posts. Avenger Force (PP8) was a qualifying winner last start out at Chester in 1:55.3. The son of Huntsville will be driven by Matt Kakaley. Bruce Aldrich Jr. will drive Ideal Par (PP7) after taking a mark of 1:59.4 in his first baby race. George Ducharme, who has always enjoyed much success at Monticello, is represented by Ameritric. The son of Huntsville is owned by Purple Haze Stable and was a wire-to-wire qualifying winner at Vernon Downs in 1:56.3. He will be driven by Tyler Buter.
The first Excelsior stake has some local connections. Spectacular Plus, the Gary Messenger-trained son of Huntsville, will score from post seven with Jim Taggart Jr. He was second in his lone qualifier at Chester. Darius (PP5, Mark MacDonald), a son of Huntsville out of Miss Sowo — a mare who competed for years at Monticello — is trained by Ray Schnittker and is owned by Monticello horsemen Dennis Ackerman and his wife Patricia. Darius finished second in his last qualifying start at Pocono Downs, pacing his mile in 1:56 with a last quarter of :28.2. Fund My Request (Tyler Miller) sports an impressive resume and will score from post three. Dave Dziengel is the trainer of Boston Delight (Adam Moeykens). The son of Boston Red Socks has a pair of Monticello qualifiers under his belt and will start from post six.
The other split of the Excelsior Stakes is a seven-horse race. The oddsmaker has made Spring Blake (PP2; Mark MacDonald) the morning line favorite. The $30,000 yearling is a son of Courtly Choice, a horse that trainer Blake MacIntosh won the Little Brown Jug with in 2018. Rendezvous Bay (PP5, Jordan Stratton) shows half-mile experience with a trio of efforts at Saratoga for trainer Brian Cross.
(Monticello)