by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — On August 24, a day in which the sun shone brightly and the humidity was in a comfortable range, five divisions of the New York Sire Stake freshman colt trot went to the post for purses in excess of $150,000 at Monticello Raceway. When they were all official Wishing Stone’s 2:00.2 victory was the fastest and Margarita Man tasted defeat at the hands of RC Serpent.

Geri Schwarz photo

Wishing Stone’s 2:00.2 score was the fastest of the five NYSS races.

Wishing Stone, a smallish son of Conway Hall- Meadowbranch Magic and a full brother to Make It Happen, didn’t let the eight hole hamper his chances. Stephane Bouchard sent the colt to the front and they raced unchallenged throughout the mile. The 2:00.2 clocking was just three-fifths of a second off the track mark for 2-year-old trotting colts. Kona finished second for Cat Manzi ,two lengths behind the winner.

Wishing Stone had been chasing the best in the country at the Meadowlands in the Peter Haughton Memorial and was making his first start on a half-mile track but the colt never batted an eye going around the four turns.

“He is good gaited and he has speed,” Bouchard said of Wishing Stone who was collared on the final turn but trotted away to an open length victory. “He’s so easy to handle.”

Trained by DeWayne Minor, Wishing Stone is owned by Cowboyland Aalborg.

Wishing Stone breaking his maiden in his first half-mile track start from the eight hole may have been somewhat of a surprise but a bigger one came two races later in NYSS action when RC Serpent stopped Margarita Man’s four-race win skein.

After finishing a nose behind Margarita Man in their last confrontation RC Serpent’s driver, Dan Daley, had a feeling that he could beat the undefeated colt.

“We just missed last week and I was quite hopeful we could beat him (Margarita Man) today especially if we got the lead early,” Daley related after his victory.

And that feeling came to fruition when Daley sent the son of Conway Hall-Dixie Crystal to the lead away from the gate and though Ray Schnittker gave Margarita Man a two-hole trip, Daley’s colt trotted away to a three length victory in a time of 2:01.2.

As the two trotters came off the final turn Margarita Man seemed to bear out and Schnittker had his hands full trying to get his colt back on a direct course to the finish line. And for that reason they lost second place to Nearly Uncle who was driven by Stephane Bouchard. Margarita Man did, however, hold on for the show dough.

A homebred, RC Serpent is trained by Daley for co-owners Albert Crawford, Anne Mari Daley, Robert Lombardo and the Highland Green Farms.

Jimmy Morrill, Jr., who takes a backseat to no one when it comes to driving a harness horse, scored a Sire Stakes victory with Carnegie, another son of Conway Hall, but out of the Muscles Yankee mare Motivational. Despite having to start from post eight Carnegie sped to the lead and turned back favored Shaq Is Back who was driven by Ray Schnittker.

The winner is owned and trained by Kathleen La Montagne.

John Stark, Jr. was a happy man after he reined Ultimate Athlete to the colt’s maiden victory in yet another NYSS split. Starkie sent the Malabar Man-Classical Speed colt to the front and they never looked back en route to a four length, 2:03.3 triumph over Crazy Reminder.

Stark shares ownership in Ultimate Athlete with Edmund Smith, James Giannuzzi and David Smith.

One other $30,403 NYSS split was raced as a non-wagering event and in that one Howard Okusko, Jr. drove the Purple Haze Stables’ Hall’s A Burnin to a 2:05.1 triumph over Strong Hope and driver Dan Daley.