by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — In what turned out to be the best finish in the nine years of presenting a race for Jewish drivers, Mike Kimelman hustled Hill Billy Honey to a nose victory over Tamango Hall and driver Mark Liebowitz in Monticello Raceway’s annual Race For The Matzohs” on Monday, April 9, the next to last day before the Passover Season ends. Third place finisher, Lusty Bay, driven by Jack Rice, was just a head behind the winner in the tight three-horse photo.

Kimelman, a former professional driver and now the president of Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, N.Y., scored his third Passover Pace victory. He also won the event in 1999 and 2003.

Three on the wire, but Hill Billy Honey (#2) prevailed in the ‘Race For The Matzohs.’

Right from the get-go the race conjured interest, especially when Liebowitz sent Tamango Hall for the lead from post eight. After leaving from post position four, Jack Rice and Lusty Bay had grabbed the racetrack, but yielded to Liebowitz’s charge as the quarter-mile timer flashed :28.3. Tamango Hall then took the field by the half in :58.3 and she was still fairly comfortable on the lead when the pacers passed the three-quarters in 1:29.3.

At that point Kimelman, who had been racing in the middle of the pack, had Hill Billy Honey in high gear. She paced alongside the leader in the final turn, and the two raced head and head through the lane, until Hill Billy Honey got a neck advantage. However, 30 yards from the wire her stride shortened and three pacers (including Lusty Bay, who had a two–hole journey) came to the finish line nearly simultaneously.

“I’m glad my mare was proud of her heritage and didn’t opt for a nose job when she was young because if she had one we would have gotten beat,” Kimelman joked in the spirit of the race after his pacer held on for a scant nose victory in a time of 2:01.3 in the ninth Passover Pace, a race which features the talents of drivers of Jewish heritage.

Racehorsephoto.com photos

Mike Kimelman receives his reward from Britta Erickson, Monticello Gaming’s marketing director.

“In mid-stretch I thought I was going by Liebowitz (with Tamango Hall), but right near the wire my mare hit a brick wall and he (Liebowitz) nearly came back to win it all. In fact it was so close that when I pulled up I asked the starting judge (in the first turn) ‘who won it’ and he told me Liebowitz. So I headed back to the paddock, but when I got there they told me to go back to the winner’s circle, because they (the judges) posted my number.”

Owned and trained by Dave Detmering, Hill Billy Honey, who started from post position two, paid $22.20 for win. The 2-8 perfecta was worth $495 and the 2-8-4 trifecta returned $1,820.