Sounds like a joke--- well it isn’t. It happened today, February 14, in the second race at Monticello Raceway.

Mike Forte was well in hand with a trotter by the name of Connors Blue Chip and they coasted home a six- length winner. After the finish Greg Merton’s horse hooked Connors Blue Chip’s wheel and dumped Forte to the ground.

Instantaneously the trotter turned around and went back the opposite way on the track and stopped in the winners circle even though he had no driver to guide him.

Luckily a good Samaritan in the grandstand rushed out to grab the horse and held him until help arrived.

Asked what he thought when he saw his horse spin around and head back to and stop at the winners circle he said.

“It was cool. People just don’t realize how smart horses are.”

Strangely, Connors Blue Chip isn’t a veteran of racing victories. The win was his first in five seasonal starts and the 6-year-old Sir Taurus gelding won but two times in 37 tries.

Trainer Ron Ingrassia was in the paddock during the race and didn’t see his driver get unseated after the finish and when he found out what had happened he said philosophically, and with tongue in cheek:

“What’s the big deal, that’s the way I train 'em.”

John Manzi, Monticello Raceway