Last week in his first start here, Johnny Grippa won in
1:53.4 which was the fastest race mile on the Monticello Raceway double-oval
this season. However, that mark didn’t last long because yesterday(Tuesday,
August 5th )Johnny Grippa won again this time in a season’s best
1:53.1.
The 6 year old altered son of Cams Card Shark and Sky Yankee
is owned and trained by Jack Sheehan and was driven to victory both times
by Jimmy Devaux.
Devaux sent 1-2 shot, Johnny Grippa, to the lead from the
two hole while the other five each took a seat along the pylons behind him.
They had two lengths at the quarter in :27.4 and were a full length in front as
they passed the second stanza in :57. A 29 second third quarter saw Jimmy
Taggart, Jr the first to move with Bettorsluckystreak but they were a
still a length off the leader at the three quarters in 1:27. At that point
Devaux asked Johnny Grippa for more and the veteran pacer responded and drew
away from his competition and paced the final quarter in :27.1 and finished in
1:53.1 to score the pacer’s 10th win in 19 starts.
“He was more relaxed today and he raced even better than he
did last Tuesday,” Devaux said referring to Johnny Grippa. “He’s got legs like
J-Lo but Jack (Sheehan, the trainer) works real hard on him to keep him sound
and in top form.”
The second place finisher, two lengths behind the winner,
was Giddyallyougot in rein to Zeke Parker which made a Grippa exacta, but not
your usual one. This one combined a horse and owner each named Grippa.
The winner, of course, was Jack Sheehan’s Johnny Grippa and
the second place finisher, Giddyallyougot, trained by Anthony Regina and is
owned, oddly enough, by a gentleman by the name of Vincent Grippa. Hence the
unique Grippa exacta paid $6.50.
On hand in the winners circle was the Johnny Grippa’s
breeder, Erich Boehm who has owned and bred some
nice harness horses for over the past 50 years. He was there with some friends
and they were en route to the Saratoga Flats.
“I saw Johnny (Grippa) was in (to race) today so I thought
we’d stop by Monticello to see him race,” Boehm related. “I own his dam (Sky
Yankee) and she’s been a heck of a good broodmare.”
Vinnie Grippa, who also happened to be here to watch his
horse race, overheard the Boehm group’s conversation and walked down the tracks
apron from where he was watching the race to introduce himself to Boehm.
“I’m Vinnie Grippa,” he said to Boehm with a smile as he
shook his hand. “I was wondering where the horse’s name came from.”
“Johnny Grippa is my son-in law,” Boehm told Vinnie
Grippa. “I like to name all my horses after family members, if I can.”
“You could probably understand that I’ve been wanting to
claim Johnny Grippa for a long time now but my trainer says, no,” Vinnie told
Boehm.
“Johnny Grippa owned by Vinnie Grippa would a gas but Anthony ( Regina) warns against it. “So I just watch Johnny Grippa
winning.”
