MR - ALLIKAIT FIGHTER SCORES HER FIFTH WIN IN A ROW; 4TH CONSECUTIVE PROGRAM WITH A HAT TRCIK FOR GREG MERTON

The often-claimed pacing mare, Allikiat Fighter, notched her fifth consecutive victory at Monticello Raceway on Monday afternoon, May 7^th.  Greg Merton handled the driving chores for trainer and co-owner Betsy Phillips and kept the mare within striking distance throughout the first half. Then up the backside  a three deep move enabled   Allikait Fighter  to zoom to the front  before the  final turn and coast home an easy one length winner in a time of 1:57.3.

This is the third time I drove her and I’m impressed with her quick speed,” Merton said after her victory. “When she travels along behind company and then pull her, she circles horses quickly and opens up daylight. She did that again today and, in fact, all three times I drove her.”

It was the sixth seasonal triumph for the 8-yeardaughter of  Artiscape and her 44^th of her career which  has enabled her to post lifetime  earnings  of $156,388. Last year she won 15  races.

The clocking of Allikait Fighter’s victory on May 7^th was just  two-fifths of a second slower than her best this season of 1:57.1 which she posted in her previous start. With her five wins- in- a- row and back in against similar company it was a foregone conclusion that Allikait Fighter would inevitably be sent off as the odds-on favorite.  So much so was she,  that show betting was not allowed in that race.

Co owned by Phillips and Carl Gillespi she paid just $2.50 for win and $2.10 for place in the eight horse field.

The victory with Allikait Fighter was one of three that Merton had on the card. He also scored with Randy Ingrassia’s, Sixth Sense in 1:57.1and with Baron’s Racing Stable’s,  You Can’t Fool me in 1:57.4.

It marked the fourth consecutive program  on which Greg Merton has had a hat trick.