by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Of all the drivers involved in Monticello Raceway’s Passover Pace, perhaps it’s only fitting that the most accomplished drew the favorite in the ninth annual “Race for the Matzohs,” which will be presented on Monday afternoon, April 9.

In a race weighted with professional businessmen who are either amateur drivers or who just drive for the fun of it, Monticello, N.Y. native Jack Rice, a winner of 1,255 races in his career, will handle the morning line favorite, Lusty Bay.

Lusty Bay, a winner of three of nine seasonal contests comes into the event off a 2:00.3 victory in her last race and will start from post position four in the eight-horse field.

With that said, despite his greater experience and a seemingly live mount, Rice is by no means a shoo-in for this contest.

Rice will have to contend with two of the finest amateur drivers in North America today in Alan Schwartz and Bob Krivelin, along with a host of others, some of whom have decent stock between the shafts.

Schwartz, a winner of three previous Passover Paces and a lifetime winner of 298 contests, has drawn the rail with co-favorite Cross Creek Rambo. Though the pacer is winless in 10 seasonal starts, she still has two seconds and three thirds to show for her recent efforts.

Krivelin, a former Billings amateur champion who successfully campaigned his own 3-year-old trotting sensation of a few years ago, Rapid Rail, and one who knows his way around the racetrack, will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him on Monday after having drawn a considerable outsider in Go Darby Go.

However, Mike Kimelman, a former professional harness driver who is now president of Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, N.Y., has two Passover Pace victories to his credit and will have to be reckoned with when he gets up behind Hill Billy Honey in the Passover Pace. Hill Billy Honey, a winner of two of nine seasonal contests, the fastest a 2:02 effort in late January, will start from post position two.

Sheworeayellowribn, who has been a bridesmaid of late with two seconds and two thirds in her last four starts, will have Harness Eye magazine’s editor Derick Giwner at the controls. They’ll start from post three. Giwner’s best showing in previous Passover Paces was a second place finish two years ago.

Among the likely longshots in the event are RL Chelsea’s Girl (post 6); Keystone Saturate (post 7) and Tamango Hall (post 8).

Dr. Douglas King, a forensic dentist and winner of the inaugural Passover Pace in 1999, will handle RL Chelsea’s Girl; avid amateur driver Bobby Lieberman is slated to rein Keystone Saturate; and Mark Liebowitz, a former Passover Pace winner and social studies teacher, who’s also the dean of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, N.Y., will drive Tamango Hall.

Driving assignments, like post positions, were a result of a lottery drawing.

Post time for the Monday afternoon card is at 1:10 p.m. and it can been viewed at a local OTB or OTW parlor. The Passover Pace is slated as race number four on the 13-race card that afternoon.