by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Last November, Carlspur, Monticello Raceway’s 2006 Horse of the Year, was a victim of a colic so bad that surgery was required to save the horse’s life. After a two-hour operation and many months of rehabilitation — not to mention the trepidation his connections endured — the 11-year-old pacer again returned to the racing wars and though it didn’t occur at Monticello Raceway, Carlspur has once again made it to the winner’s circle.

Following over six months of rehabilitation, Carlpsur made his 2007 seasonal debut at Monticello Raceway on June 6 when he finished second in 1:54.4. And though he raced a few more times at the Mighty M, he didn’t win a race, but just the fact that the pacer had rebounded from death’s door was plenty satisfying to his part owner Tom Trezza, who watched over the horse after surgery like he was one of his own children.

Understandably, after not being able to win in a race in five starts — he did have two seconds and two thirds — at Monticello, which is a long van ride from trainer Tony Salerno’s New Jersey Farm, his connections decided to race the old campaigner closer to home.

They started Carlspur twice at Chester Downs with little success — a fifth place finish was his best.

On August 18, Carlspur was entered at Freehold Raceway. With Andy Miller at the controls, Carlspur showed he still has some fire in his furnace when Miller put him on the front end and the old campaigner rambled through fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:27 before kicking in a :28.3 final stanza en route to a 1:55.3 triumph, which was the veteran pacer’s 72nd win of his illustrious career.

Tezza, who was on hand to witness Carlspur’s victory, sent an e-mail to Monticello Raceway’s publicity department which stated: “The old warrior got the job done on Saturday — Andy Miller gave him a great, great drive. Really wanted this to be at Monticello, but we’ll be back real soon, I promise.”

Carlspur, a $60,000 purchase from Steve Manzi’s Global Standardbreds, Inc. when he was a 3-year-old, has a lifetime record of 1:48 taken at the Meadowlands at age 9 and has earned nearly $900,000 thus far.