by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — In what appears to be the most competitive leg of Monticello Raceway’s year-long Heritage Drivers Series, Bruce Aldrich, Jr. will handle the morning line favorite, Missy’s Q T, in the race for drivers of English extraction on Tuesday, June 23.

Dubbed the Mayflower Mile, Aldrich’s Missy’s Q T has been a 1:59.3 winner this season and she was a close second — beaten just a head — in her last start here in a 1:59.3 clocking. The 7-year-old Pacific Rocket mare will start from post position two but she can expect no clear sailing.

Ready for action are a host of others including Best Brand (Greg Merton), Windy City Buddy (Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr.) and Blackeyedchristian (Gary Messenger).

Best Brand will leave from the pole position and already has a 1:59.2 victory to his credit this season. Windy City Buddy, on the other hand, is a five-time winner this year — the fastest in 1:58 — and has drawn the meet’s leading driver in Zeke Parker. The 9-year-old pacer will start from post position five. And even though Blackeyedchristian made a break at the gate in his last start and finished back he sports the seasonal best wining time of any of the Mayflower Mile starters. On April 28 the Christian Cullen 6-year-old gelding scored a 1:57.3 triumph against a similar field. He wil leave from post position six.

A sleeper in the mile could be Ask Nicely, a 5-year-old Astreos mare who has won two of her last four starts but will have to start from the eight hole. Gareth Dowse, a transplanted Welchman and first assistant in the Ray Schnittker stable, will handle the driving chores.

The Mayflower Mile is the sixth leg of the Heritage Drivers Series and the winner will join the other preliminary leg winners in the All-America Cup in early October. Two more Heritage Series legs will follow. On July 30 the Raceway will present its Munich Mile, for drivers of German descent, and lastly, the Godfather Pace on August 26 will feature drivers of Italian extraction.

The Mayflower Mile will be the sixth race on the 13-race card at the Mighty M on June 23. First post will be at 1:10 p.m.