by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Top conditioner John McDermott showed that he knows his way around the racetrack under battle conditions, too, when he guided Frank Cuccio’s, Trotting Rabbit, to an easy 4-1/2 length triumph in Monticello Raceway’s St. Paddy Pace on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.

It was the pacers fourth consecutive victory.

McDermott, who usually leaves the driving to the top catch-drivers looked like one himself as he sat cool and waited until the right moment to move his charge and when he did the veteran gelding scooted away from his competition and coasted home and easy winner over Row Urboat Hanover, with Gary Messenger aboard, in a time of 2:02:3 which is the fastest winning time for Trotting Rabbit in over two years.

Third place went to Muller, driven by Hall of Famer, Jimmy Doherty, in the race restricted to drivers of Irish heritage on the day when the nation celebrates the contributions of the Irish-Americans.

“I wish my brother Kevin was driving the horse (Nashville Road) that got parked out so I could have taunted him,” McDermott joked. “We trained together many times but we’ve never driven in a race against one another and it also would have been fun beating him.”

Kevin McDermott was slated to drive Supreme Life Force but the horse came up sick and was scratched leaving him without a mount in the event.

Though a sibling rivalry seemingly exists the day belonged the John McDermott who shadowed pace-setter Row Urboat Hanover with Trotting Rabbit and scored a come-from-behind victory despite the fact that the pacer was coming off three consecutive wins while racing on the front-end.

“I like to let the others do the work and I had no trouble keeping my horse in behind the leader,” McDermott explained when asked about how he kept a front-runner in the pocket. “ (trainer) Tony Cuccio has this classy old guy in top form and I was lucky to draw him in the race.”

McDermott took time out from his busy schedule to travel to Monticello Raceway just to compete in the event. But he wasn’t alone.

Jimmy Doherty came in from the Meadowlands and Jimmy Marohn –he finished seventh in the race with Bold Warrior—came up from Yonkers Raceway just to compete, also.

Now McDermott will represent the Irish in the Heritage Series Finale slated for late September. The winners of each monthly Heritage race leg will be eligible for the race which will be dubbed, the United Nations Pace.

Thus far McDermott’s competition include Bubba Washington, winner of the Dr. Martin Luther King Pace; and Sherry Urquidez, winner of the Lady Godiva Pace.

Next up in the Heritage Series will be the Passover Pace on Monday April 25 featuring the talents of drivers of Jewish heritage.