by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Monticello Raceway’s $400,000 Phillip W. Tully Trot drew 30 entries on Wednesday, October 10, setting the stage for four $20,000 eliminations, which will be contested on Monday afternoon, October 15.

Slated as races one, four, six and eight, only the top two finishers in each split will earn the right to come back the following week on Monday, October 22, and compete for the rich final purse.

“Many of North America’s leading sophomore trotting fillies have entered the Tully Memorial,” noted Eric Warner, the track’s Director of Racing. “And because of those who made sustaining payments and an unusually large amount of entries, our total purse will be in excess of $400,000.”

Some of the finest New York-breds who have already proven their abilities over half-mile tracks are among the entrants. Included are Ray Schnittker, Stephen Demeter and Herbert Burns’ Chippewa Street ($182,144), the winner of the $150,000 NYSS Final at Yonkers Raceway; Dr. Doug Hutchins’ eight-time NYSS winner, Cocktail Hour ($149,477); and Fred Monteleone and Sal Promuto’s Angie Blue Chip ($141,091), a 1:59 NYSS winner here at Monticello Raceway. All will go head-to-head in the final $20,000 elimination, race eight on the 13-race card.

However, their competition of Lightning Stable’s Flash Lightning ($208,328) a 1:52.4 winner at the Red Mile on October 5, and the improving Pippiwhitestockngs ($53,515 in 10 starts and a 1:56.3 winner at Delaware, Ohio) arguably make that elimination the toughest of the four.

The first split, race one, features J M L Stables and Sholty Stable’s Exotic Destination ($135,778), who won in 1:52.2 at Du Quoin, Ill.; Deena Frost, Sampson Street Stables and Fox Hollow Farm’s Radiant Lady ($103,401), a 1:56.1 winner at the Big M; and Lloyd Arnold’s Ms Virginia ($77,900), a track record 1:58.1 winner in her most recent start at Harrington Raceway.

L&L Devisser’s Victoria Volo ($111,920), a 1:54.2 winner at the Red Mile on October 6 and David Reid’s Just Dandy ($188,073), a 1:59 winner at Rideau Carleton in her last outing, figure to be the ones to beat in the second split, race four.

In the other elimination, race six, Carolyn Atherton’s good New York-bred Oh Oh Its Magic (eight wins and $265,302); Steve Stewart and Andrew and Linda Fabian’s Classical Mary ($118,724), a 1:55.2 winner in the Duenna Trot at the Big M; and Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband’s Aiken For Clay ($129,705) will pose big threats to their competition.

Of the 30 entries, 29 made all the sustaining payments, with the owners of Exotic Destination plunking down a $20,000 supplemental fee.

The Phillip Tully Trot was named for the late Hall of Famer and salesman extraordinaire who was a long-time Monticello, N.Y. resident. In the 1960s, Tully was the racing secretary and sometime announcer at Monticello Raceway.