by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Winning races is nothing new for the talented Jason Bartlett. Yonkers Raceway’s leading driver ventured to Monticello Raceway on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 22) and proceeded to win three of the four $13,200 New York Sire Stakes Late Closers for rookie pacing colts. And he just missed copping all the events when Brandon Simpson came out of the clouds in a driving four-horse finish to nail Bartlett at the wire.

But the afternoon belonged to the former Mainer. Bartlett first hit paydirt with South Coast when he guided Gus and Alan Johnson’s son of Artiscape to a rousing eight length triumph in 1:59.2. Bartlett used the front-end route and South Coast was never even challenged until the final turn when Jordan Stratton and Ideal Shark got within a length of the leader, but in the lane South Coast poured it on and his :29.1 final stanza blew all the others away. Ideal Shark was second and Art Thou Romeo and Stephane Bouchard finished third.

Geri Schwarz photo

Mosee Terror’s 1:57 was the fastest of the four NYSS Late Closer splits.

Bartlett came back in the next heat to score a seven length victory with Bulletproof Enterprises’ Mosee Terror. The son of Western Terror won in a time of 1:57, which was the fastest of the four splits. Alex Bullville, who was a handfull for driver Stephane Bouchard throughout most of the early going, got his act together as he straightened away in the homestretch and charged home to finish in a dead-heat for second with the Zeke Parker-driven Sectionline Barack.

In the final $13,200 NYSS Late closer split Bartlett and Daughtry Hanover teamed up for an easy four length triumph in 1:57.2. The victory here was another wire-to-wire effort by Bartlett with the Bettor’s Delight colt who earned a new lifetime record in the process. Denver Dolly and Jordan Stratton made a run at the leader after the three-quarter pole but when Daughtry Hanover shifted gears it was goodbye Denver Dolly. However, Denver Dolly held on to photo-out Relentless Dreamer and Stephane Bouchard for second money.

Bartlett’s only loss — if you can refer to a second place finish as a loss — came at the hands, or maybe the feet of, 18-1 shot Quinnman when Brandon Simpson and the Artiscape colt rallied to a stunning come-from-behind charge where four pacers came to the finish line nearly simultaneously. The photo showed Quinnman a head winner over Bartlett’s Yacht King in a 1:58.3 clocking. And right there in the picture were Gamblers Island (Stephane Bouchard) and Stormin Beach (Zeke Parker).

Also of note on the Wednesday card was the 14th seasonal trotting victory by Sophisticat. The 5-year-old Earl mare tied Mr Invincible for the most wins this season by a trotter racing in North America. Bruce Aldrich, Jr. drove Sophisticat and he co-owns the mare with Stanley Indig.