by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — The Kentucky Derby has its “Run for the Roses;” the Preakness runs for the Black-Eyed Susans; and on Wednesday afternoon, April 15, Monticello Raceway will have its annual “Race for the Matzohs” when the Catskill Mountains oval presents its 11th edition of the Passover Pace, a race strictly for drivers of Jewish heritage.

The event will be the fifth leg of the track’s year-long Heritage Drivers Series and follows the St. Paddy Pace, the race for drivers of Irish extraction, which was presented on March 26.

Headlining the 11th edition of the Passover Pace will be former Amateur Driver of the Year, Alan Schwartz, who has been a three-time Passover Pace winner.

He copped the 2002 event with Macs Wildwood Nukes in 2:04.3 and Schwartz won in a dead-heat with Ross Cohen in 2004 when he guided Arctic Spur home simultaneously with Cohen’s Miss Dimensions in a 2:02.1 clocking. Having also won the 2006 edition with Old Town Bobiesox in 2:03.4, Schwartz quite possibly can be referred to as the “Ben Hur” of the modern era.

“Now wait a minute on this Ben Hur moniker for Schwartz,” chirped Mike Kimelman, Blue Chip Farms president who also won three Passover Paces. “I won three (Passover Pace) races too. And just check out the payoffs on my horses — they were all longshots — not like Schwartz’s even–money winners.”

Kimelman won the Passover Pace in 1999 with Riz Biz in 2:00.4; in 2003 with GTs Ideal Lady in 2:02.4; and again in 2007 with Hill Billy Honey in 2:03.

Among the expected participants this season include Dr. Douglas King, a forensic dentist by trade and part time harness driver who helped identify victims of the tragic TWA Flight 80 catastrophe of a few years ago. Dr. King also won a division of the inaugural Passover Pace in 1999 — there were two divisions that year — with PD’s Bunny.

He will be joined by outstanding amateur driver Bob Hechkoff who won last year’s Passover pace with Wild Willy Magoo in a 2:00.2 clocking.

Also expected to return the “Matzoh Wars” this year is Jack Rice. His 1:59.1 victory with Wildfire King in 2001 is the event’s record clocking.

However, eight drivers are needed to fill the event and at this time Monticello Raceway’s Director of Racing, Eric Warner, is seeking drivers who are interested in racing in this year’s contest.

The Passover Pace is open to any licensed harness driver of Jewish heritage who holds a full (A) or a provisional (P) license from the United States Trotting Association.

For further information, or to enter the event, please contact Warner in the racing office at (845) 794-4100, extension 557; or call the track’s publicity office at extension 455.