by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — In the past Monticello Raceway has had full wagering cards featuring only trotters, full cards of only pacers, and a full program of amateur races, but not until Wednesday (July 4) did the Mighty M have a complete race card featuring just 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers, most of which were making their pari-mutuel debuts.

Sandwiched in an unusual time slot — between 5:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. — were six divisions of the $145,000 New York Sire Stakes and five $12,700 splits in the Excelsior Series, followed later by the track’s 45th annual fireworks display.

On the race track the action was sparkling and every NYSS division was in 1:57.4 or faster with Thirty Two Red’s 1:56 triumph the fastest of the evening.

Geri Schwarz photo

Thirty Two Red held off Doctor Butch in a time of 1:56.

Co-owner Ray Schnittker was in the sulky and sent the son of Bettor’s Delight-Sakura Hanover to the front from the six hole and cruised to an easy :59 half-mile clocking. Up the backside when Tim Tetrick sent Doctor Butch out for the chase, the fractional times sped up and a real horse race ensued.

Around the final turn Tetrick had Doctor Butch in high gear which forced Schnittker to get after his colt a bit. And Thirty Two Red dug in and kept Doctor Butch at bay to score a 1:56 victory.

With many of the co-owners around for the picture presentation Schnittker, who has been known not to get too high on his up-and- coming youngsters, was gushing about Thirty Two Red.

“He’s a really good colt and he might be the one to get me over the top,” a smiling Schnittker told everyone within ear shot. “I think they’re gonna hear a lot from him this year.”

But Schnittker’s colt wasn’t the only one that impressed. In the first $24,248 division Jeff Gregory, driving I’m The Real Major for the first time, needed every bit of a sizzling :56.2 final half to collar the leader Story Book, driven by Larry Stalbaum, and then go on to a length victory in 1:57.4.

It was the son of Art Major-Real Girl’s second consecutive lifetime win and Gregory had a grin from ear to ear.

“He’s a little guy but he’s real handy and he does whatever you ask of him,” he said. “He’s got a real big motor.”

Scalped, a son of Bettor’s Delight-Spirit Of The West, got into a real dog fight with Deny Deny Deny when the two colts raced head-to head from the three-quarter pole to the wire. In the lane it wasn’t clear who the winner would be but after urging from Jason Bartlett, Scalped held off Deny Deny Deny and Tim Tetrick by a neck in a 1:57 mile.

After a :59.2 half and a 1:29.1 third quarter clocking the pace really quickened when Tetrick’s colt challenged Bartlett’s and the two leaders sped to a :27.4 final quarter.

“He (Scalped) was pacing along leisurely and only got interested when Tim’s colt came at us,” Bartlett said. “We were working hard (on our colts) through the stretch and we battled all the way to the wire.”

In yet another NYSS split, Swift As A Shadow, a son of Bettor’s Delight-Flibbertigibbet, enjoyed a two-hole journey before popping out off the pylons in the lane and rallying to a 1:56.4 triumph for Tim Tetrick. Pacesetter Deal Maker and Larry Stalbaum were second.

“He’s just a little guy,” Tetrick pointed out in the winner’s circle, “but he’s got a world of speed.”

However the final results might have been different if the John Campbell-driven Odds On Equuleus stayed at his work in the final quarter.

“We were making a big charge past the three-quarters, but when my colt saw the draw gate he tried to run out,” Campbell said of the colt who was making his first start on a half-mile track. “He’s got lots of talent and he’ll get over that.”

Bartlett won another NYSS division with Americasgottalent in 1:57.1. The son of American Ideal-Sunduel A was a head winner over Framed Art and John Campbell.

Tertick also won another NYSS split when he reined Tijuana Party, a son of Badlands Nitro-Lido Beach, to a head victory over A Bettor World (Jason Bartlett) in a 1:57.4 clocking.

The winners of the Excelsior Series splits were LaRussa StL (Jason Bartlett) in 1:58.2; Clustercuss (Mark MacDonald) in 1:59.2; Scirocco Billy (Greg Merton) in 2:00.3; Ten Cents A Shine (John Stark, Jr.) in 2:01; and Not My First Rodeo (Mark MacDonald) in 2:02.