New York County Fair Finals at Monticello Raceway

By: Shawn Wiles

Monticello - Monticello Raceway concluded its 2019 New York Sire Stakes program with the New York County Fair Finals on Thursday September 5 with 8 divisions each worth $10,000 on the 10 race card. 

2 Year Old Trotting Fillies

The heavy 3/5 favorite Comaway With Me got the lead past the ¼ marker in 31.0 after a brief tussle with Notoutofthewoods made the lead. Comaway With Me cut the rest of the mile and had a 3 length lead in the middle of the stretch before rolling off her feet and made a break. Notoutofthewoods inherited the lead and won by 5 lengths over Im A Chole and Don’t Call Me Crazy in 2:04.1.  It was the 4^th win of the season for the daughter of Prayer I Am – Edge of the Woods, in the process she earned a new lifetime mark. She was driven by Mark Whitcroft for trainer and owner Cheryl Whitcroft.

2 Year Old Trotting Colts

Discus Hanover (Credit Winner – Dancing Flames) came into the race with a 6 race win streak competing in both the Excelsior B class and the County Fairs during the summer.  The 1/5 favorite went to the front and never looked back after cutting fractions of 30, 1:00.3, 1:31.2 to draw off by 15 lengths to win in 2:01.4.  Step Forward finished second followed by Simonthediamond.  Former Monticello Raceway Dash winner Jim Devaux was in the sulky for owners Philip Hale and David Dewhurst.  It was the 10^th win of the year for Discus Hanover in 13 starts.

2 Year Old Pacing Fillies

Xenias Chip started from the rail in the 8 horse field, Greg Merton hustled the robust offspring of Heston Blue Chip – Xenia Hanover to the front and cruised to an easy 6 lengths win over KJ Natalia and Roll On The Odds.  Xenias Chip scored her 4^th win of the years for owner Keith Pinkowski and trainer Jim Graham.  Time for the mile was 1:59.2 and was a new lifetime mark for the winner.

2 Year Old Pacing Colts

The favorite Art Nukem was first away from the starting gate from the 7 hole for driver Mike Simons, the duo cut the mile to the half in 58.3.  The first to move past the half was Flow With Joe and driver Claude Huckabone Jr. they made the lead at the ¾ mile marker and began to skip away from the pack to win in 1:59.  Flow With Joe (Roll With Joe – Hidden Play) is trained by Jody Weidman, he increase his impressive resume to 7 wins in 8 lifetime starts.

3 Year Old Trotting Fillies

Tyler Buter rushed Lindy In The Sky away from the gate from post position 8 and reached that panel in 29.3, Reckless Image took the lead past the quarter pole and scored a wire to wire win in 2:02.1 over Lindy In The Sky and Smokin On By. Reckless Image is a daughter of Muscle Mass- Image Hall and won her 11^th race of the season for David Dewhurst and Philip Hale, it was the 2^nd win of the afternoon for the duo of Dewhurst and Hale and driver Jim Devaux.

3 Year Old Trotting Colts

Going into the first turn 4 colts made breaks, Certify was able to steer clear of the commotion and eased his way to the front.  Once on top he dictated the fractions of 29.3, 1:00,1:29.4 to win by 6 in 1:59.3.  The gelded son of Credit Winner – Good Intentions earned his 9^th win of the season, the win gave Tyler Buter a driving double on the card. Finishing second was Sanchez Rocks, followed by Okay. Certify is owned and trained by Earl Sauve.

3 Year Old Pacing Fillies

Roll With Mimi made short work in her class as she notched an impressive 6 length victory in 1:56.4 over Pearlameri and Qing Oong Bluechip.  The daughter of Roll With Joe – Dream of Mimi earned her 15^th win of the season in 28 starts with earning of over $60,000 in her 3 year old campaign.  Tyler Buter handled the driving chores for trainer Claude Huckabone Jr. and owners Robndot LTD and CL Huckabone.

3 Year Old Pacing Colts

While the caulk prevailed for most of the day, Jericho Willie was the exception, sent off at odds of 18/1 starting from post 5, Joe Chindano Jr. choose the winning tactic of the day, catch me if you can, he scored a wire to wire to wire win in 1:57 and in the processed earned a new lifetime record. Jericho Willie a son of Rock N Roll Heaven – Taylorlane Diva is owned by Larry Stalbaum and was bred by Gary Smith, he paid $39.60 to win.  Hestons Lucky Chip finished 2^nd followed by Johnny Chimpo.

Also on the race card was an RUS event which featured a 4 horse contest, the highly competitive race was won by Vanessa Karlewicz aboard Akhenton to win in 2:09.1, finishing second was Michelle Miller and Choke Hold followed by RC’s Ready and Hilary Hartnett.