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Thursday, February 14, 2013

MR - 2ND LEG OF NAME YOUR PRICE SERIES FOR HORSES & GELDINGS CONTESTED ON WED. FEB. 13

After two days of foggy weather  in New York’s southern Catskills, three divisions of the second preliminary leg of Monticello Raceway’s Name Your Price Claiming Series for horses and geldings went to post on Wednesday afternoon , February  13  and when the judges posted the official signs Haroun Hanover’s 1:56.3 effort  was the fastest of the three splits. Also victorious were Nutmegs Taxi in 1:59.2 and Four Starzz Lefty in 1:58.4, both pacers from the Billy Devine stable and both driven by Patrick Beeler.

The meets leading driver, Jimmy Marohn, Jr. teamed –up again with trainer Danny Gill for the  7-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding’s second win the series. Last week Haroun Hanover, a career winner of over $285,000, scored in 1:58.3 nevertheless yesterday (Wed.  Feb.  13) the pacer’s victory was more impressive after a  gate to wire triumph from the seven-hole one and one quarter lengths  ahead of second place finisher Lastcomicstanding and driver Jimmy Devaux.

Still in for the bargain price of $4000 Haroun Hanover, owned by Ed Hall and James Hall of Connecticut, notched his fifth consecutive seasonal victory and returned a $2.80 win mutuel . He was the only repeat winner in the series today.

After finishing second, missing by just a neck last week, Nutmegs Taxi made amends when Patrick Beeler followed live cover until the top of the lane and then rallied his pacer to a short nose victory over River Waltz N and driver Kevin Switzer, Jr. It was the third seasonal triumph for the Four Starzz Shark 6 year old gelding who’s owned by James  Schreibeis of Florida, NY. Nutmeg’s Taxi  paid $9.30 for win.

In the final split  Pat Beeler and Four Starzz Lefty stalked the pace-setter Thomas John N (Mike Simons) with until midway through the homestretch and then  charged home to be a neck winner in a time of 1:58.4. Thomas John N (Mike Simons) held on for second money.

Owned by  the  Chalky Tom  Racing Stable of Ballston Spa, NY the winner paid  $29.80 and gave trainer Billy Devine a pair of winners on the card.

Although none of the owners used the option of adding another $1000 to their horse’s claiming price in the series second leg, when the final prelims are raced next Wednesday owners can enter their pacers for $4000; $5000 or $6000 again with the higher priced claimers drawing outside of those with a lesser price tag.