Tomorrow Saratoga Harness Racing hosts an afternoon of NY County Fair Sires Stakes. The program includes a special Monte/RUS event for a purse of $5,940 with a full field of none veteran trotting campaigners and experienced riders. Four time winner Funny Photo leads this group with Sophie Engerran in the irons with strong competition likely to emerge from triple winner Jeanine Marie and two-time victorious Admirable Hanover.
Entries, in post position order, follow:
- Admirable Hanover, Vanessa Karlewicz
- The Franchise, Michelle Crawford
- Jeanine Marie, Sasha Moczulski
- A Lister, Heather Reese
- In Nomine Patri, Ashley Eldred
- Funny Photo, Sophie Engerran
- Jolie’s Prayer, Jocelyn Gale
- My Fried Charlie, Andrea Pratt
- Kash Now, Michelle Miller
During August RUS-NY held seven trotting events at six county fair venues (two races at Morris on August 2nd. The results are summarized below.
August 2, Morris NY – two events for $600 purse each won by Admirable Hanover (9g Cantab Hall-Almost An Angel-Crowning Point) clocked in 2:13h for Vanessa Karlewicz, also trainer, and owner Peter Gerry. The second division went to Jeanie Marie (9f Famously-Vite Vite Kosmos-Lindy Lane) for Heather Reese and trainer Jennifer Sansone. McCoo Inc. and Jonathan Klee Racing share ownership. Funny Photo was a dq from first in this event.
August 9, Sandy Creek – $750 purse event taken by Jeanie Marie timed in 2:11h for Heather Reese and trainer Sansone. At Malone on August 10 their $750 purse monte race went to Canbec Kangourou (6f Amigo Hall-Canbec Beauty-Victory’s Force) timed in 2:18h for owner/jockey Ashley Eldred. Baron Racing is the owner. On August 15 at Palmyra the $750 RUS Trot went to Funny Photo (7m Classic Photo-American Jean-American Winner) for regular rider Sophie Engerran and trainer Kimberly Gilman-Daios. The August 16 test at Bath, purse $750, went to Admirable Hanover, his second of the series, with trainer Vanessa Karlewicz aboard timed in 2:12.2h. The August 23 $875 purse event at Trumansburg produced another victory for series leader Funny Photo timed in 2:10h for Sophie Engerran.
In Ontario pari-mutuel monte action continued in the past month at Hanover on August 20, as Lexis DJ (9g Amigo Hall-Lexus Lulu-Angus Hall) scored in 2:02h for Sarah Town and trainer Shane Arsenault. The six length winner bested Osprey Vision (7g Ken Warkentin-Summerhill Hallie-Angus Hall) with Amber Lawson-Brand up. Third went to Southwind Alice (5f Muscle Hill-Accountability-Pine Chip) with Evelyn Harms in the irons. C$1,682 was wagered on the event that carried a C$4,000 purse.
On August 1st at Grand River Gracie’s Harmony (9f Hard Rock N Roll-Every Boys Dream-Royal Troubador) and Marielle Enberg took a C$11,000 Monte Handicap in 2:04.2h for trainer James Tropea. Muscle Matters was second for Sarah Town, with third to Osprey Vision for Amber Lawson-Brand in the six horse field
Om July 16 at Georgian Downs a C$5,000 Monte Handicap drew five contestants and Muscle Matters (5m Muscle Mass-Sister Mary Lindy-Conway Hall) was the winner for Sarah Town and trainer Benoit Baillargeon. Southwind Alice (5f Muscle Hill-Accountability-Pine Chip) placed for Everly Harms and third was Massive Muscles (5g Muscle Mass-Flirting Lavec-Mr. Lavec) with Marit Valstad aboard.
The remaining RUS Ontario events are September 10 at Hiawatha, October 2 at Leamington and the Finale on October 21 at Western Fair. Congrats to all the North American monte participants for executing competitive racing in a fan friendly presentation.
Thomas H. Hicks