by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Model Magnate, a 5-year-old daughter of Western Terror, scored her second seasonal victory in a near three-horse dead heat on Monday (March 28) at Monticello Raceway.

Geri Schwarz photo

Model Magnate (#3) and Jimmy Marohn, Jr. rallied to win in a near three-horse dead heat.

Model Magnate, driven by Jimmy Marohn, Jr., sat a two-hole trip all the way to the head of the lane before Marohn tipped her out to challenge the pacesetter Please Sweetie, who was driven by Marohn’s dad, Jim, Sr.

Though they raced head to head until the finish the two pacers were not alone and joined late on the far outside by Warden Woodie and driver Billy Dobson. At the wire the three pacers were just heads apart, all tripping the timer at 2:00.4. Had the race been another 50 feet longer the fourth place finisher Trance N, in rein to Bruce Aldrich, who was just a half length behind the winner, would have made it a four-horse photo.

The winner, trained by Richard Campalong for owner Michael Funke, paid $15.00 for win.

Young Marohn also copped an earlier race on the card behind Admirals Chance in a 2:00.3 clocking and those victories gave the talented youngster a total of 45 at the current meeting which ranks him tied for fourth with Billy Dobson on the local leaderboard.

But the leaders continue to be Bruce Aldrich, Jr. and Billy Parker, Jr., each with 79 wins thus far. And both are putting on driving clinics each afternoon and each reinsmen had a hat trick on the Monday card. While Parker and Aldrich are battling for command Jimmy Taggart, Jr. is locked in third place with 50 driving victories.