by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Nowadays, final race times don’t underscore the class of those horses competing. It seems that every race goes fast these days, be it a high priced claimer or a conditioned horse. Even the lesser class claimers put up times that Free-For-All horses turned in a few decades ago.

So with the aforementioned in mind, handicappers will have to make a decision in Monticello Raceway’s 1-3/4 mile Marathon Trot which will go to post in race number five on Wednesday afternoon, December 16. Will class hold up in this long distance race?

Last year’s winner and world record holder Lively Moment is back to defend her crown but this year she is not the class of the contest, although owner Tom Carpentito may not concur with that statement.

The class, on competition faced and results produced, is the Mark Ford Stable and Bill Varney’s Pembroke Prayer. The 5-year-old Like A Prayer gelding was an Open-1 trotter at Saratoga Raceway during four starts there in November, one of which produced a 1:57.2 victory. And his last start at Yonkers Raceway was a fifth-place finish against non-winners of $25,000 in their last six starts. Pembroke Prayer sports a 1:55.4 seasonal mark taken at the Meadows earlier this season. He is rated 5-2 on the morning line and will start from post position four with Mike Micallef at the controls.

Lively Moment, on the other hand, has been competing with a $20,000 claiming tag for most of the year. Her best win time at the usual mile distance is a 1:58.3 clocking taken at Tioga Downs last summer. In her last start at the Mighty M on December 9 the 6-year-old daughter of Master Lavec finished second over a muddy racetrack.

When she won the Monticello Marathon last year in 3:42.4 she wasn’t the favorite in the race but handicappers will surely take into consideration that Lively Moment knows the distance and trots it well; at least she did last year. Bruce Aldrich, Jr. — he drove her to victory in last year’s marathon — will again be in the sulky when they leave from the five hole in the six-horse contest.

Dan and driver Jordan Stratton will start from the pole position. Dan, a 6-year-old Davanti gelding owned by ZMW Racing Corp., has been racing with a $10,000 tag and thus far is winless this season. He’s been rated at 9-2.

Millbrook Millie, number two with Cedric Washington, raced for a tag of $12,500 in her last outing. The 4-year-old Emile Angus mare has won five races this year, the fastest in 2:01.1. She’s owned by Stephen Moss and rated 5-1 on the early line.

Valcyon Days, 7-2 on the morning line, will start from post three with Zeke Parker driving. A winner of seven races this year, the fastest in 2:00, the 6-year-old Dream Vacation gelding has been racing in $20,000 claimers. He’s owned by Dr. Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger.

The sixth horse in the contest, Iliketherain, is owned by Linemaster Services and Robert Smoiko and will leave from the six hole. A 2:00.1 winner here on November 5, the 3-year-old Ilooklikemymom colt will have Jimmy Marohn, Jr. in the bike and has been tabbed at 3-1 on the early line.

If class holds out Pembroke Prayer should get the trophy. But don’t put a circle around his name yet. There are five others looking to reach the winner’s circle and according to Mighty M Director of Racing, Eric Warner, the distance is a great equalizer.