Monticello, N.Y. – With
some of the tracks in the Northeast closing for the season, this week’s Open
Pace at Monticello Raceway had an influx of new blood as three top 3 finishers
made their first start in the $7,700 Open Pace on Tuesday, November 9.
The seven-horse field saw Motive Hanover, one of the newcomers, roar away from the gate first to quickly grab the lead, ticking off fractions of 29, 58:4. Approaching the half, Cory Stratton pulled the favorite, Nui Ba Den N, to begin his chase. Greg Merton, aboard Motive Hanover, tapped the gas pedal to have a two-lengths advantage, passing the ¾ marker in 1:27.3. He kept the margin of two-lengths at the wire in 1:55.3.
The well-traveled stout son of Well Said is trained by Mark Ford and is owned by George and Rose Bonomo of Naperville, Ill., his long-time stable patron. Motive Hanover notched his seventh win of the season and pushed his seasonal earnings to just shy of $50,000. Finishing second was Niall Hanover (Bruce Aldrich Jr.), followed by Little Ben (Brandon Parker).
Brandon Parker had a driving triple, and the red-hot Cory Stratton had a driving double, following his triple from the previous day.
