by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Carlspur, the 11-year-old pacer who has returned to action after a near-death experience, is arguably one of the best racing — and human interest — stories of the 2007 season.

By now many — and not only racing fans — know of the saga of how Carlspur nearly died last November and sustained a two-hour operation and months of rehabilitation before he was able to return to the racing wars.

But now he’s back and in a big way.

Carlspur, Monticello Raceway’s Horse of the Year last season, returned to the Mighty M as promised by his co-owner, Tom Trezza. On Tuesday, August 28, the old warrior, a winner of over $900,000 in his illustrious career, scored one of his most impressive victories in recent years when Stephane Bouchard guided him to a 1:54 triumph in the track’s weekly pacing feature. That victory came right on the heels of the stallion’s 1:55.3 triumph at Freehold Raceway 10 days prior.

Bouchard, who said he had won over $500,000 of Carlspur’s $900,000 in lifetime earnings, wasted little time taking the old warrior to the front. After they gained command, Bouchard and the pacer made every pole a winning one and even kicked in a :28 final quarter enroute to a two length triumph over Future Fan and driver Mike Merton.

Trezza, who hadn’t missed any of Carlpsur’s five previous races at the Mighty M this season, wasn’t able to be on hand to witness the veteran campaigner’s throttling triumph.

“I was so upset that I had business to attend to in Washington, D.C., and had to listen to the race on the phone with my dad while driving in my car on I-95 in Maryland,” Trezza related. “I really wanted to be there in person to witness this happy, but emotional, event for us. Maybe the old guy isn’t done yet and please don’t tell him he’s 11-years-old going on 12.”

Carlspur’s second victory of the 2007 campaign was the pacer’s 73rd of his career and the earnings from the Monticello race pushed his lifetime total to over $900,000.

Another of Carlspur’s co-owners, Paul White added some interesting facts about the 11-year-old stallion. “After a check a couple of weeks ago with Standardbred Canada, Carlspur’s 1:48 lifetime record still makes him the fastest ever Canadian-bred and the U.S. Trotting Association says he’s the oldest ever to pace that fast — taking his mark as a 9-year-old,” White said.