by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — When Monticello Raceway presents its second edition of the Battle of the Braintrusts, a race for executives, on Monday afternoon, August 16, the Mighty M’s Assistant General Manager Shawn Wiles will be ready.

“I’ve been out practicing, getting ready for the ensuing Battle,” he says. “It’s been quite a while since I was behind a horse but it’s like riding a bicycle. Even if you don’t do it for a while you never forget how to.”

Wiles, who is also a USTA District 8 Director, has drawn the Bill Kapinos-trained General Maximus N and will start from the four hole in the five horse race.

“I’m giving fair warning, when the man says go — I’ll be gone,” he joked.

His pacer was a 2:00 winner in his last start but, of course, he was driven by a pro in Mike Merton.

Larry Roman, who drove while in college on Long Island when the industry had races for college students back in the 1970s, has the Jimmy Doherty, Jr-trained Big John B from post two. Though winless — yet knocking on the door — in his last seven or eight outings, Big John B comes into the event with a 1:57.3 victory under his belt earlier this season.

Roman, the CEO of WDF Green in Mount Vernon, N.Y., will be quick to point out that he once held a track record here at the Mighty M some 20 or so years ago when he participated in the Billings Amateur Series.

Jason Settlemoir’s Time Slips Away has been the most consistent in recent outings with one win, two seconds and two thirds in his last five starts. Settlemoir, VP of Racing at Tioga and Vernon Downs, is a true rising star in the sport and is also the President of the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

But as Shawn Wiles pointed out lightheartedly, “he never won a horse race!”

The Bob Lounsbury-trained Time Slips Away will start from post three and Settlemoir is looking to make Wiles eat his words.

Vic Harrison, the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Racing Commission, is in the same boat as Settlemoir in that he is looking for his first race win.

“I’ve raced in a few of the promotional races John Manzi put together over the years but thus far victory has eluded me,” Harrison said. “Maybe Monday will be a charm.”

Harrison has drawn the coveted pole position with the Bruce Aldrich, Sr.-trained Game Rudy, a 2:01.2 winner earlier this summer.

The final starter will be the Village of Monticello’s Chief of Police, Doug Solomon. Chief Solomon, who is a friend of leading trainer Gary Messenger, has been practicing with him at his farm outside Monticello. The Chief will be driving another Bruce Aldrich, Sr.-trained pacer, Our Ian, who sports a seasonal record of 1:58.2 and was a 2:01.1 winner on July 28.

For Solomon this will mark his maiden voyage in a competitive race but when the Battle of the Braintrusts was first presented a few years ago Monticello Casino & Raceway’s then CEO, Dave Hanlon, drove competitively for the first time and was a 2:07 winner. So if Chief Solomon learned his lessons let his competition beware.

The ‘game’ participants will line up behind the mobile starting gate and race the usual one mile distance in jog carts without the use of whips. The non-wagering exhibition race is slated to go to post after the sixth race — approximately 2:10 p.m. — on Monday afternoon, August 16. First post that afternoon will be at 12:50 p.m.