The Monticello Raceway version of Halfpipe
is a 6-year-old trotting gelding who has won five times this year and has
been victorious in each of his last three starts.
On Wednesday afternoon December 19
Halfpipe’s third win-in-a-row came in the 1-3/4 mile Monticello Marathon when
Jimmy Marohn Jr. reined the veteran trotter to a 1-1/2 half length triumph over
Collect Call and driver Tyler Buter. Third place went to the Mike
Simons-driven Howmuchubench.
However the final time of 3:42.2 left
intact the world record of 3:40 set in 2009 by Pembroke Prayer and driver
Mike Micallef.
In the odd-distance race on the double oval
the field is picked up in front of the grandstand and let go at the usual
quarter pole. From there the trotters must pass the winners circle four times
before the race is completed and on the final lap Terry Finch, of the
Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association, waved a white flag to indicate there
was just one more time around the oval.
For a race that had a very competitive
field of well behaved trotters an unusual amount of breaks marred
the event. Although some of the early breakers had time to get back in the race
–Howmuchubench being one of them. However the most costly one came on the final
turn when favored Call Collect broke away from the pack and opened
up five lengths of daylight on the field and then he broke; as in
off-stride.
Buter got his trotter back on gait and they
had a lot of ground to make up but his a charge at Halfpipe, who had
inherited the lead when Collect Call went off-stride, fell short
and they had to settle for second money.
After the late scratch of Famous Dude the
race got underway with Imallottocatch grabbing the racetrack on the first
turn and Mike Forte had him on the lead for the majority of the race..
First to challenge was Buckshot Victor and Justin Huckabone but they
faded after going off-stride..
With Forte and Imallottocatch still on the
lead the closers were waiting for the final lap.
And close they did.
Halfpipe stayed covered nearly all the way
as did Collect Call. When Buter moved Collect Call before the final turn he
burst to the lead and appeared to be heading for a new world record but
unfortunately the trotter went off stride while at least five lengths
ahead of the pack.
When Buter moved so did Marohn with
Halfpipe and they also cleared the field and when Collect Call made a
break the lead was theirs. They then held off Collect Call who rallied late
after Buter got him back on stride . Howmuchubench came from cover to finish
third after he made a break earlier in the race.
“I kinda like this long distance race and
I’ll bet the fans did too. It’s something different and not the same old
thing,” Jimmy Marohn, Jr. said after his victory.
“Driving strategy is different , too.
I was patient and waited until late to move but we also got lucky with so
many of the horses making breaks.
“Tyler’s horse was a clear winner but he
must have stepped on a banana peel,” Marohn joked. “He got back trotting
and he was close at the finish.”
Buter was asked what happened to
Collect Call on the final turn. ”He makes breaks occasionally and he just
picked a bad time to do it,” he said almost nonchalantly.
Owned by Edward Hall and James Hall, Jr.,
Halfpipe raised his seasonal bankroll to over $35,000. He paid $7.40 for win.
