by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Windsun Fire N Ice, in rein to Stephane Bouchard, won the pacing feature at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday afternoon, March 25. Jordan “the Kid” Stratton added three more victories to his seasonal total.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

A gutsy Windsun Fire N Ice held on to win the pacing feature.

Bouchard, who won the driving title here in 2006 and was second in races won last year, got the call from trainer Anthony Regina and, as he usually does, Bouchard responded admirably, guiding the J & R Class Act Stable’s Windsun Fire N Ice to a gutsy 1:58 victory in the daily pacing feature.

After Jimmy Marohn sent The Grand Poopa to the lead away from the gate, Greg Merton and Southbound Trucker made a quarter pole move to the top and gained command, with the eventual winner tucked in along the Eurorail in fourth position.

With Southbound Trucker showing the way, Bouchard was first to move as the field headed for the halfway point timed in :59.3. Bouchard’s pacer challenged Merton’s horse for the lead and the two raced side-by-side to the three-quarters in 1:28.3. It appeared that Southbound Trucker would put away Windsun Fire N Ice, especially when Southbound Trucker opened up a three–quarter length lead on the final turn.

With Southbound Trucker in front as the field headed for home, Windsun Fire N Ice reached down for more and began to wear down the leader which he successfully did and still had enough to rebuff a late charge from Kings Flight N and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. Southbound Trucker held on for third money.

“He went a really good race and just when I thought he was finished he came on again and won the race,” Bouchard said after his victory with the 6-year-old Island Fantasy gelding.

It was the third victory of the season for Windsun Fire N Ice ($6.10) and the second on the card for Bouchard, who also won the seventh race with Race-2-Win’s Val America ($8.90) in a time of 1:59.

Not to be outdone, Jordan Stratton won three races on the nine-race program and is closing in on Bruce Aldrich, Jr. for the driving lead here. Currently “the Kid” trails Aldrich by just five victories, 75-70.

Stratton, who is definitely making a name for himself, scored with Charles Strukel’s Hoagies Cam ($3.00) in a 1:58 clocking in the first race and came right back to win the second with Ray Schnittker’s Last Orders ($7.30) in 1:58.3. Stratton then won the ninth race with William Emmons’ Perfect Cam ($17.60) in a time of 1:57.4.

Now with 96 seasonal driving victories, the 20-year-old reinsman from Monticello finds himself in 18th place on the North American leaderboard in races won this season.