by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — There’ll be something for everyone at Monticello Raceway on the added program of Sunday afternoon, July 18. Not only will there be three trots in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series and two paces in the Catskill Amateur Driving Series but included on the afternoon card is the 18th annual Ms Monticello Raceway Beauty Pageant.

The Billings Series trots, all six horse contests, will be in races one, five and eight on the 10-race card while the Catskill amateurs will perform in the seventh and tenth races. And beginning at 12:30 p.m. and continuing throughout the racing program, 21 of the area’s most beautiful women will vie for over $8,000 in cash and prizes in the track’s annual pageant.

In the first Billings split Ken “the Virginia Squire” Weckstein will handle the favorite, Buck ID, and start from the pole position. In the second Billings event Harvey “Doc” Stein will be up behind that race’s early line favorite, Zann Fanciso Bay, and also start from the pole position. The third split favorite, Beach Vacation, will be handled by Scott “the Driving Doctor” Woogen and they will leave from post position three.

Many of the Billings point leaders in the Eastern Region will be in action including 17-year-old Cory “the Teenage Terror” Stratton and the new series president “Tony “the Capo” Verruso. Other top 10 participants in action that day include Rob “Rapid Rail” Krivelin, Peter “the Past President” Gerry, “Gentleman Jamie” Marra, “Coach Paul” Minore, David “Steady As” Yarock and Terry “the Dairy Queen” Donnelly.

In Catskill Amateur action, Randy Ingrassia will be looking for his third victory in the series when he again handles Ten O’clock Number in race seven. Cory Stratton, who’s also a member of the Catskill Club, will drive the favorite, Mr Touring, in the 10th and final race.

In the meantime, while the racing action takes place, on the raceway’s stage — set up on the track’s apron — there will be plenty of pulchritude parading for the judges, all with hopes of becoming Ms Monticello Raceway 2010 and taking home the $3,500 top prize offered by pageant sponsor Larry Roman.

The pageant gets underway at 12:30 p.m. with first race post time slated for 12:50 p.m.