by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Can Jimmy Marohn, Jr. be a repeat winner or will one of the McDermott brothers take home the trophy in Monticello Raceway’s 10th annual St. Paddy Pace, the race for drivers of Irish heritage. The answer to that query will be known after the sixth race is completed at Monticello Raceway on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, March 17.

Eight talented reinsmen, five of whom have already won a St. Paddy Pace, will do battle in what appears to be a very competitive contest.

John Gilmour, who won the 2002 edition with a pacer with the unlikely name of Irish Lad, gets the mount behind the early line favorite Gemini John who’ll leave from post position four. The pacer, with two last place finishes in his last two starts, drops way down here and gets the odds-maker’s nod.

Jimmy Marohn, Jr. is the defending champion and he drew 3-1 shot Top Flite Rocket and the pole position to boot. Top Flite Rocket won here earlier this year in a 2:01.2 clocking.

Kevin McDermott, a leading trainer at the Meadowlands, will take some time away from daily chores to travel here and jump up behind 7-2 shot Cagey Cole and start from post two. Winless in four starts this year, Cagey Cole won eight races in 2009, the fastest in 1:56 at Saratoga.

Kevin’s older brother John, who said — obviously with tongue in cheek — that he wants to beat Kevin ‘real bad’ may have his work cut out for him because he drew the number seven horse, Hardcore, who is 0-for-5 this year. But to John’s defense the pacer did win 11 races last season, the fastest a 1:56.1 clocking at Maywood Park.

Two other pilots who’ll be looking to be the first under the wire include past St. Paddy Pace winners Mike Doherty and Jimmy Marohn. The former drew 10-1 Call Me Biscuit from post eight while the latter will handle 12-1 rated Flee Shark from post six.

The field is rounded out with Gary Messenger and 4-1 Christopher Bliss from post position five and Curtis Carey, a transplanted midwesterner and full-blooded Irishman, who’ll drive Bolero Artifice when they leave from the three hole.

“There’s no doubt that the drivers in the St. Paddy Pace aren’t racing top stock but any way you size it up it figures to be a very competitive race because all the horses seem, at least at this time, to be of equal ability,” said Eric Warner, the track’s director of racing. “And we have to thank our local horsemen for their cooperation in helping us present the race.”

The St. Paddy Pace is the third leg of the Mighty M’s 2010 Heritage Drivers Series. And like every event in the series, post positions and driving assignments are drawn by lot.

The next event in the Heritage Drivers Series is the ‘Race for the Matzohs’ — the 12th annual Passover Pace on Monday afternoon, April 5.

Post time for the St. Patrick’s Day card is at the usual 12:50 p.m.