by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Speed was the order of the day at Monticello Raceway on the Wednesday afternoon card of May 30, with nine of the 13 races shading 1:59, and included was a track record lowering performance by Matchstick Man.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Matchstick Man high-stepped his way to a 1:57.4 track record performance.

With Ray Schnittker at the controls, the 4-year-old son of Conway Hall waltzed home a solid one length winner in a time of 1:57.4 in the co-featured $11,900 Winners Over Trot. That clocking established a new track mark for 4-year-old trotting stallions. Oddly, the former record was set by another Schnittker pupil, Frank The Hands, when that Credit Winner stallion toured the Mighty M oval in 1:58 just a few weeks ago on May 9.

Matchstick Man, who now appears more handy than he was at this time last season, sat back third in the early going. But when Greetings and driver Billy Parker, Jr. began to open daylight on Four Starz Ransom (Mike Spano), who was trotting along in second position, Schnittker moved Matchstick Man to the outside, trotted around Four Starz Ransom, and then moved back in behind Greetings, who seemed comfortable on the front-end with a two length lead.

And though Greetings still was two lengths in front at the top of the stretch, Matchstick Man put it in another gear, trotted by the leader, and went on to establish a new track record for his age, gait and gender. Greetings held on for second place while Four Starz Ransom ended up third best.

“My horse is real good now and the track (at Monticello) is good and firm,” Schnittker related.

Referring to his covered trip victory he added, “It was a no-brainer, I just sat behind Parker (with Greetings) and in the lane my horse was running in a bit so I let him go up the passing lane and he just cruised. If he was this handy last year we’d have won $300,000.”

Last year Matchstick Man earned $88,516 and as a 2-year-old he garnered $124,063, most of it from New York Sire Stakes action.

The track record victory was Matchstick Man’s third of the season and pushed his seasonal earnings to $22,565.

Owned by Schnittker, Paul Doherty and Bob Krivelin’s Hero Stables, and trained by Schnittker, Matchstick Man returned a $3.20 win mutuel.

Maybe Schnittker’s assessment of the Mighty M racetrack was on the money because trotters are going faster than ever in recent weeks.

After facing Open Class trotters at the Meadowlands and Yonkers Raceway during the winter and early spring, it took two starts here for Nahcotta Jude to get back to the winner’s circle.

With Jimmy Marohn at the controls the 6-year-old Armbro Scorpion gelding rambled to a 1:58.4 victory in the weekly $14,300 Preferred Trot.

Sent off as the betting favorite in the race, Nahcotta Jude held off a late charge from Donnegal and driver Greg Merton to score a one length triumph. Master Pine, up from Freehold Raceway with Hall of Famer Jim Doherty aboard, finished third.

Nahcotta Jude is owned by ZMW Racing Corp. and is trained by Joe Vance. He paid $6.30 for win.