Monticello, NY — It was a tough day for racing on Thursday (Sept. 26) at Monticello Raceway with pouring rain and a muddy track, but business still went on as usual. Six members of the North American Amateur Drivers Association battled for supremacy, and Alan Schwartz and his old war horse Ladys Big Stormont emerged victorious by a head in 2:02.1 over Five Towns and Bob Hechkoff.

After starting from post five, Schwartz angled his charge to the pylons and settled in fourth position as Hechkoff gunned Five Towns to a three-length lead as they passed the first stanza.

“Ladys Big Stormont isn’t really comfortable in a hole, so I moved him first-up as we headed to the half. But we were still some five lengths off Hechkoff’s lead,” Schwartz related. “But my horse kept grinding, and we finally got alongside Five Towns as we rounded the final turn. From there, we were head-to-head all the way to the finish line, but my horse got up in the final strides to win it by a head.”

Although they had a two-hole trip from the get-go, Chapter And Ruth and driver Tony Ciuffetelli Jr. had to settle for third money.

Send off at odds of nearly 4-1, Ladys Big Stormont paid $9.80. And for Schwartz, a former Amateur Driver of the Year, it was his 10th seasonal triumph and the 618th of his amateur career.