While Ladys Big Stormont and Alan Schwartz were favoured in Thursday's (Nov. 19) $5,000 North American Amateur Drivers Association Trot at Monticello Raceway, things didn't go as expected. Despite their having overcome a slow early start to control the terms, Coco Hall and Joe Lee got the best of them at the end of a 2:01.3 mile.
Ladys Big Stormont was uncharacteristically sluggish in leaving, enabling Joe Lee to hustle Coco Hall to the lead from post two before then grabbing leather to allow Ladys Big Stormont to take command in the soft :30 first panel. With Schwartz on the lead, the eventual winner was more than content to sit the pocket behind the favourite.
“I was surprised that the first quarter was so soft, but I was plenty happy to be in the two-hole,” Lee said. “I didn't know at the time that Alan's horse wasn't himself today, but I was sure going to enjoy a covered journey near all the action anyway.”
Ladys Big Stormont got the six-horse field by the half in 1:01.2 and then began to open some daylight on the trailers.
At the three-quarters, the favourite was still showing the way with Coco Hall waiting patiently until the top of the lane.
“When my horse saw daylight at the top of the stretch, he grabbed the bit and put it in another gear. And then he trotted alongside the leader and finished him off in the final strides,” Lee explained.
Coco Hall upended Ladys Big Stormont by three-quarters of a length while Garnet, who started from the pole position with Christopher Doherty at the lines, finished third, two lengths behind the winner.
Coco Hall, a six-year-old Amigo Hall mare, is trained by Gary Messenger for owners Brenda Messenger and Dr. Scott Woogen. She returned $7.00 to win.
(with files from NAADA)