by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — It’s getting to be a habit; one that John Philpott and Trevin Schive, of Elmsdale in the Canadian Maritimes, hope will continue.

Again, for the second time in three weeks, the pair called the Monticello Raceway publicity office regarding their pacing mare, Drinking Games. The first call was because the race video transmission was down, but they got to hear the race via a telephone which was placed near the TV. However on Monday, January 29, the pair called to express their exuberance after their mare’s second victory against the best pacing mares on the grounds this year.

On Monday afternoon all video systems were operable and the Canadian duo were glued to their computer watching the race live while imbibing their favorite spirits in sort of a “drinking game” of their own.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Drinking Games and driver Eric Goodell won the $15,000 Mares Preferred Pace for the second time in three weeks.

When they saw driver Eric Goodell, who took advantage of a pocket trip, move Drinking Games to the inside at the top of the stretch and then rally to victory up the passing lane, the boys were cheering so loud that they could almost be heard in Truro, Nova Scotia.

After Lazy Running N and Jordan “the Kid” Stratton took command from Goodell at the quarter pole in :28, the foreign-bred gelding had the lead until the deep stretch when Drinking Games collared him — albeit on the inside — and went on to victory in a time of 1:59. Lazy Running N held on for second place while Bliss N Vinegar took home the show dough.

Both Philpott, a physician recruiter (“don’t call me a headhunter”) and Schive, a small animal veterinarian, are the proud owners of Drinking Games, whom they claimed for $30,000 at Woodbine last summer.

After one start at both Mohawk and Flamboro Downs, it was back home to the Maritimes with their new acquisition, where on September 17, Drinking Games set a track record at Truro Raceway with a 1:55.2 victory.

“It (the victory) lowered the track record for mares by one full second,” Philpott told the Mighty M publicity department via a telephone call after Drinking Games’ victory on January 29. “We had a lot of fun with her up here (in the Maritimes) and since she’s so good on a half-mile track and we’ve had previous dealings with (trainer) Art Green, Trevin and I decided to send her to Monticello and put her in the hands of Mr. Green.”

Drinking Games has been in Art Green’s barn since December of last season and since then she has had three wins and two thirds in six Mighty M starts.

“Both Trevin and I are pretty excited and very pleased to be doing so well with Drinking Games. We feel fortunate to have Art Green as trainer and when he picked Goodell behind the reins we were questioning the newcomer, but were 100% behind any decision Mr. Green would make. Mr. Goodell has more than proven himself and we have full confidence! Overall we are excited to have found a gem of a raceway in Monticello! We look forward in meeting the crew in the near future,” Philpott added.