Rompaway Alvin trotted to a track record equaling victory in
a time of 1:57 on Thursday afternoon , September 5 at Monticello Raceway. That
clocking tied the mark for aged trotting geldings initially set by
Cornishman N and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. back in 2011.
His gate to wire victory in Monticello
Raceway’s featured trot on Thursday afternoon , Sept 5th
caught most by surprise, even driver Mike Merton.
Rompaway Alvin , second choice in the betting, figured
to be one of the main competitors but his stunning 13- length triumph
didn’t.
“When he lost both of his ear plugs behind the gate I
didn’t realize what a ride I was going to have,” noted Merton.” When the
gate sprung he left like a pacer and he took off like a wild horse.
“We had a big lead at the quarter and an even bigger
one at the half. He was still strong passing the three quarters and he
(Rompaway Alvin) really surprised me when he kept on charging
instead of coming back to me like I thought he would.
“ Damn, I was just a passenger once we left the gate but I
thoroughly enjoyed the ride which was my fastest ever by a trotter on a half
mile track.”
After trotting through fractions of :28.1, :57.2 and 1:26.2
at the wire Rompaway Alvin had 13 lengths over runner-up Game
Changer and driver Austin Siegelman. Samsawinner was third for Kyle Di
Benedetto. The 1-2 betting favorite , Broadway Victory finished fourth for
Bruce Aldrich Jr.
However it was found out later that there was somebody
in Rompaway Alvin’s connections who wasn’t surprised by the 1:57
mile and it was none other than the trotter's trainer, Jimmy Doherty, Jr.
“He won in 1:53.2 last year at Tioga (Downs) and won nine
times so I know he’s a big engine,” Doherty said. “But what made him so
good today was that he raced just five days ago and he thrives on work.”
Rompaway Alvin came into the contest off a 1:56.3 victory on
August 24th at Tioga Downs and today’s victory was the horses third
this year. And he paid $8.30 for win. Rompaway Alvin is owned by amateur driver Dace Yarock.
That victory was part of a trainer- owner double on the
card. They combined for a 1:59.3 trotting victory with Nowerland
Nathan in the last race only that trotter was driven by Bruce Aldrich,
Jr.
