by Tom Hicks

Afton, NY — Monteamerica action continued Thursday (July 11) as the Ashley Eldred ridden/trained First Tail U See (Conway Hall-Speedrise Hanover) took the Frank Tingley Memorial at Afton, N.Y., on their 21-race card that also included Billings Series and NYSS Fair races.

The pair of females scored in 2:11h over the track rated ‘good’ from post seven. Stephen Merhbach owns the winner that was bred by Raymond Campbell, Jr. The winner has a lifetime record to sulky of 1:57.1s and has earned more than $52,000.

Lemon Pepper (Cumin-Lemon Sole) finished second (he a $596,000 career earner with a 1:53.2 record) with Jennifer Lowery aboard and Saratoga monte winner Vassar Hall (Striking Sahbra-Vera Hall) was third for Michelle Crawford. Vassar Hall is a $109,000 career winner with a 1:57.4h mark.

Six monte contestants faced the starter with one scratch.

Monte (RUS) will soon take to the larger Meadowlands stage on July 19, where leg one of the Hambletonian Monte Series takes place. The new series, managed by the Hambletonian Society, promises to be an exciting and competitive opportunity for monte practitioners and fans.