Monticello Raceway fans witnessed a track record-setting performance Monday afternoon thanks a solid performance by two-year-old pacing colt Barry Hanover.
Bruce Aldrich, Jr. and Barry Hanover were content to sit the pocket behind the betting favourite Windsong Napoleon. He cut swift fractions of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:25.2 until the passing lane opened up and Barry Hanover got thru to win by a scant head in a track record of 1:54.4. It erased the former record of 1:55:2 set by Freedomformysoul.
Barry Hanover, a son of Rock N Roll Heaven–Beachbunny Hanover, is trained by Judith Blaun and is owned by John Sixt of Chaffee NY. He returned $34.80 to win.
Miso Fast, the colt that many thought would break the track record, went off at 1-9 in the second division of Sire Stakes action. The Ron Burke-trained youngster let things settle out going down the backside, pulled from the three-hole and took the lead just past the quarter in :28.2. From that point on Matt Kakaley controlled the tempo and put together a pair of consecutive :30-second panels and then sprinted home in :27.4 to win over Pointomygransdon.
The son of Roll With Joe is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Our Horse Cents Stables and J&T Silva Stable.
Funknwaffles was looking to keep his undefeated streak intact in the final division of the Sires Stakes, and in his quest to do so the American Ideal-Hatsoff Hanover offspring started from post position 4. He was rough gaited and went wide in the middle of the first turn, but once out of the turn the colt regained his composure and gait as he whisked by the opening stanza in :27.4 for driver Jim Morrill, Jr. He zipped through middle panels of :57.3 and 1:27.3. He was briefly challenged at the top of the stretch but rebuffed all challenges en route to the win.
He is owned by Crawford Farms Racing from Syracuse NY and is trained by John Butenschoen. His lifetime earnings are in excess of $40,000 in his young career.
Former Billy Haughton grooms Mike Simmons and Roland Mallar teamed up for a win in an Excelsior A event with Zampara (American Ideal–Valabest) for winning owners Anatolia Farm LLC of New Holland PA.
Serious Major extended his win streak to four-in-a-row with Jim Morrill aboard. He paced the mile in 1:57.4.
Project Rock won in 1:56.4 for Bruce Aldrich and owners Ian Behar and Kristie Leigh Farm.
In Excelsior B action, Monticello Raceway trainer Gary Messenger had a great birthday present as his KJ Owen was a winner in 1:58.1.
Sir Pugsley and Jim Morrill, Jr. scored in 1:58.1 for trainer Donna Marshall.
Cultural Paradise and Jason Bartlett scored in 1:58.1. The American ideal colt is trained by Scott DiDomencio and is owned by Triple D Stables.
(Monticello Raceway)