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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

MR - TRACY’S SONG; WINSMITH MOLLY; NAME YOUR PRICE SERIES WINNERS

The third and final preliminary legs of Monticello Raceways Name Your Price Claiming Series for mares on Tuesday, February 19 saw   last weeks winners Tracy’s Song and Winsmith Mollie each emerge victorious again in their respective divisions. Although all participants in the $4000 claiming series  could  have  entered any where from $4000-$6000 only one took advantage; that being Tracy’s Song.

The  8 year old Astreos  mare in rein to Bruce Aldrich, Jr. left  the gate like a runner and easily  grabbed command  on the first turn. From there Tracy’s Song passed the first stanza in :28.3 and after Aldrich allowed Sixth Sense (Mike Forte) to fall in behind him he just let his mare roll.
With no foreseeable challenges being made Tracy’s Song  paced the middle half of the mile in 1:00.3 and then  cruised  through a :29.3 final quarter en route to an easy two length triumph in a credible  time of 1:58.4 over the soft racetrack. Sixth Sense held on for second with Fortunes Smile getting the show dough for Kyle DiBenedetto.

Tracy’s Song won her fifth consecutive race after a fourth place finish in her  first seasonal start. Owned by Nancy Fugure  she paid $3.80 for win.
Trainer Bob Lounsbury was undaunted with Tracy’s Song having to start from the eight hole and with good reason.

“We put her (Tracy’s song) in for $6,000 today, and ya’ know, we never had a problem with her starting  on the far outside today,” trainer Lounsbury said trying to hide a smile. “ During the past two weeks she started each time on the outside (post seven) and won both races. She’s really good right now and I guess they’ll all be gunning for us in the final..”
Unlike the relative romp in the first division the second split was a barn-burner with a proverbial cavalry charge to the finish line. The photo finish camera  was needed  to determine the winner when Romi Mystic and driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr. rallied up the passing lane but their charge fell short as the pace-setter  Winsmith Mollie and  Jimmy Taggart Jr. held strong for a short head triumph. The final time was 2:00.1.Third place went to Biding Her Time, with Jimmy Devaux aboard.

It was the second consecutive Name Your Price Series victory Winsmith Molly, a 6 year old Badlands Hanover mere owned by Dr. Scott Woogen, Brenda Messenger and Phil  Shapiro.
Trained by Gary Messenger, Winsmith Mollie paid  $9.50 in the field that included two stable entries.

Next Monday the top point earners in the series will vie for a $4000-added purse. Should there be enough entries a $3000 consolation will also be presented .