At the beginning of last season Monticello Raceway had two
pacers that were on a tear winning indiscriminately. Both Tracy’s Song and
Haroun Hanover were consistent winners and were at, or near, the top of the
North American leaderboard in races won then and all season long. And both
finished the season with over 20 wins.
Although the same may not materialize this year for two
pacers, Rusty’s Flying and Diamond Tiara, but each are making themselves known
by consistent trips to the winners circle. Both pacers have won seven times
this year and both are tied for second in victories this year, just one win off
the leaders.
Yesterday, (March 31) Rusty’s Flying notched her third
consecutive victory, and seventh of the season when Jimmy Marohn, Jr. guided
the 6-year-old daughter of Artiscape to a wire to wire triumph in a 2:00.2
clocking for trainer Danny Gill and owner Ed Hall.
Last year Gill was the conditioner of Haroun Hanover, known
locally as the horse that didn’t stop after a race and one who needed the wings
of the starting gate opened on the backstretch after the mile so driver Jimmy
Marohn, Jr. (Gill’s driver of choice) could aim him behind the wings and get
the pacer stopped and into the race paddock.
Thankfully for the driver and trainer, Gill’s charge this
year, Rusty’s Flying,does not resemble the characteristics of Haroun Hanover
other than she wins the majority of her races. This year she has seven wins and
two seconds in 10 starts and last year she had 12 wins and 10 seconds and five
thirds in 42 starts.
Joining Rusty’s Flying in second place races won this year
in North America is Diamond Tiara who’ll be looking for her eighth seasonal
triumph here today (April 1).
Owned by Philip Schultz and trained by Mike Watson, the 7
year old daughter of McArdle has strung together three consecutive wins and is
understandably rated as the early line favorite in today’s contest.
Jimmy Taggart, Jr. will again be at the controls behind
Diamond Tiara today when they leave from the four hole in the first race.
A mare of considerable class, Diamond Tiara has a lifetime
mark of 1:50.3 taken two years ago and last season she won in 1:53.3. Both of
her win records were notched at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
This season from 12 trips to post all at the Mighty M,
Diamond Tiara has seven wins, two seconds and three thirds.
