from harness publicists across North America

Tuesday’s (July 19) edition of Racing Roundup features a results story from Monticello Raceway.

Please Come Back cops Monticello pacing feature

Monticello, NY — The warm summer weather is helping to produce fast race miles at Monticello Raceway. On Tuesday (July 19), with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees, all races shaded 2:00, with four faster than 1:56, and the “slowest” mile of the afternoon card was a 1:59.4 clocking.

Geri Schwarz photo

Driver Mike Forte found room in the passing lane to rally to victory in 1:55.3 in the weekly pacing feature.

Please Come Back and driver Mike Forte copped the weekly winners over pace with a passing lane scoot to a neck victory in a 1:55.3 clocking over Happy Ending and Mike Merton. Still, that wasn’t the fastest mile of the day.

In a non-winners pace, Jimmy Marohn, Jr. hustled Simple Lease to a gate-to-wire 1:55 triumph and driver Mike Merton scored a 1:55.2 with Sectionlinecruiser in a $10,000 claiming pace. Mike’s younger brother Greg Meron got into the sub-1:56 category when he reined pacer Shark Shuffle home in a time of 1:55.4 in yet another $10,000 claimer.

Though the fast times are exhilarating the best story of the day was the fourth consecutive victory for the veteran pacer SPF Forty.

Back in for a $7,500 claiming tag, Jimmy Taggart, Jr. sent the 13-year-old Jenna’s Beach Boy gelding to the front from the four hole and they traveled through fractions of :28.4, :59.1 and 1:28 before finishing in a time of 1:57.2. Happy Ending (Mike Merton) raced head-to- head with SPF Forty from the five-eighths but they finished second best when SPF Forty refused to lose.

SPF Forty is trained by Brian Horlacher and he was one of four winners on the card for the expert conditioner. Other winners trained by Horlacher were Deceived By Trust, driven to a 1:58.4 victory by Mike Merton; Roger The Savage, driven to a 1:57.2 victory by Jordan Stratton; and Tim Whiskers, driven to a 1:56.3 triumph by Bruce Aldrich, Jr.

— John Manzi