by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — There was a time at Monticello Raceway when a sub-2:00 mile was a rarity, witnessed by the fact that there were only 12 2:00 or better victories prior to the 1974 season. No doubt the mid-seventies was quite awhile ago, but over the past two decades things have changed considerably here on the Catskill Mountains double-oval.

No longer is 2:00 the standard of excellence and clockings at that speed or better are commonplace here — except on the trotting gait. Still today, a trotting victory of 2:00 or better is still something to marvel.

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Craiger and Zeke Parker lead Donnegal to the wire in a 1:58.4 clocking in the Preferred Handicap Trot.

On Wednesday, April 18, Mark Vogel and R. Scott Wagner’s Craiger recorded his fastest career victory over a double-oval when the 7-year-old Sea Battle stallion trotted to a 1:58.4 triumph en route to winning the weekly $14,300 Preferred Handicap.

Billy Parker, Jr. was in the sulky for trainer Sherri Holiday, and Parker, no stranger to the winner’s circle himself (he has 9,124 career wins), sent the trotter to the lead from post position two and made every pole a winning one. He finished 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Bill Mulligan’s Donnegal (Mike Forte), who was making his seasonal debut. Third place in the contest went to Vincent Palmiotto’s Affaro Hanover, who was handled by Jimmy Marohn.

Incidentally, the day marked Marohn’s return to action after being sidelined for months with a broken shoulder sustained in a qualifying race at Yonkers Raceway this past winter.

Craiger’s clocking of 1:58.4, though impressive, was still one full second off Armbro Barrister’s 1:57.4 track record for older trotting horses.

It was the second consecutive victory and fifth of the season for Craiger, who was recently plunked from a $20,000 claimer on March 28 by Vogel and Wagner. Despite his recent form and his good post position, Craiger paid $29.60 for win.