by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

MONTICELLO, N.Y.—He hasn’t been blessed with great luck in his young career, but Hitachi finally scored the first New York Sire Stakes victory of his young career at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Four divisions of the $159,516 New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts were contested on the card.

“He’s had a lot of bad luck this year,” said driver Brian Allen, happy that the maiden-breaker finally came. “He was interfered with in the Sire Stakes at Monticello and then got run into in another race.”

Allen steered Hitachi to the lead out of post one and held off challenges from Dirty Dylan and then a late rally from Kid Conway to win in 2:04.2.

“He’s a little bit better out of a hole, but we had to do what we did today,” added Allen. “When a horse came at him he trotted on, but laid off when he didn’t have anyone beside him. He’s still a little green.”

Hitachi is owned and trained by Robert Gale.

Algiers Hall and Matchstick Man both finalized their lead in the 2-year-old trotting colt ranks when they won their respective divisions, each worth $39,879.

Algiers Hall, Matchstick Man and Frank The Hands—who has defected to Canada for stakes races there—are all tied for the lead in the point standings heading into the $150,000 final on the Night of Champions at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Sept. 17.

Algiers Hall led from the quarter with trainer-driver John Stark Jr. to score in 2:02.2. It was the Conway Hall colt’s third straight victory and he now has earnings of $59,512. The colt is owned by Stark with Carlyle and David Smith and Thomas McTygue.

Matchstick Man and driver Ray Schnittker found cover around the final turn and came from the far outside in the stretch to win in 2:03.2, the pair’s third Sire Stakes victory this year.

The Conway Hall Colt is owned by Schnittker and trainer Paul Doherty and now has four wins in six outings and $56,787 in earnings.

This final leg for 2-year-old trotting colts marked the conclusion of the New York Sire Stakes season at Monticello Raceway, but New York-Bred Late Closers continue on Thursday, Sept. 8, and back on Sunday through Tuesday, Sept. 11 to 13. Late Closer finals at the track will be contested Sept. 16-20.