by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — In a day (July 14) where nearly $240,000 was offered in New York Sire Stakes events for sophomore pacing colts at Monticello Raceway, Jimmy Morrill, Jr. put on a driving show by winning four of the six divisions.

“I had a pretty good day,” Morrill said modestly when the racing had finished.

Final Curtain cruised home in 1:54.2 for Morrill’s first victory of four in NYSS action.

Bulletproof Enterprises’ Final Curtain won the first $39,864 division in a romp for Morrill. The son of Pro Bono Best-Lola cruised through fractions of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24.4 and finished in a time of 1:54.2, some 16 lengths ahead of his nearest rival Alpine Jubilee, driven by Brian Allen. Sargent Major and Billy Parker, Jr. were third best in that contest.

Trainer Kevin McDermott, who is enjoying a big season at the Meadowlands, was on hand to watch his pupil in action over the double oval.

“Right now, off his (Final Curtain’s) 1:48.2 win (at the Big M) in late May he’s he fastest 3-year-old in the country, one tick faster than Somebeachsomewhere’s win Saturday at the Meadowlands. But we don’t expect that mark will stand for long,” McDermott laughed.

Morrill was again victorious in the second NYSS split when he guided On The Brink to a stunning come-from behind head victory over heavily favored Corner Blitz (Stephane Bouchard) in 1:54.3. Corner Blitz held on for second with Jessies Classy Art garnering the show dough for Jordan Stratton.

Perhaps Morrill was one of the few who wasn’t shocked by the results and said, “He’s (On The Brink) down (in company) from where he was racing at Mohawk in Canada,” referring that On The Brink has been competing against the best sophomore pacers in the world including the outstanding Somebeachsomewhere. “He faced some nice colts today but certainly not the caliber he was racing (against) recently in Canada.”

Aaron Waxman, Alan Alber and trainer Duane Marfisi are the winning owners of the son of Dream Away-Tiburon Jane.

Morrill came right back to win the third split with Wire To Wire Enterprises and Steve Golberg’s Lislea Miles, a son of Lislea-L’etoile, in a time of 1:54.4.

In that one Morrill sent Lislea Miles to the front and gained command in a :27.2 quarter. Once on the front end Lislea Miles cruised along unchallenged until the backstretch when favored Art Glass (Stephane Bouchard) ranged alongside the leader. At that point Lislea Miles shifted gears and paced away and was an easy two length winner at the finish in a 1:54.4 clocking. Art Glass held on for second money with Sailing Cruise (Jordan Stratton) finishing third.

After the winner’s circle presentation Morrill was asked which of the three colts he drove consecutively to Sire Stakes victories was the best to which he chuckled and said, “You don’t really think I’m gonna (sic) answer that, do you?”

Geri Schwarz photos

Riggins and Ray Schnittker coasted to an easy 1:54.1 score, the fastest of the day in NYSS competition.

Morrill was again behind a serious challenger in Capote in the fourth division but his pacer made a break before the start and finished off the board. Riggins and driver Ray Schnittker gunned out for the lead and took command on the first turn and once in front the NYSS freshman champion looked like his old self as he paced to a five length victory in 1:54.1 over Major Hottie and driver Stephane Bouchard.

Back for the blanket presentation Schnittker seemed irked that Riggins, who just paced a mile in 1:50 at the Meadowlands (though he finished fifth), was rated 9-2 on the morning line.

“He was the best Sire Stakes colt last year and I can’t believe they had him at 9-2,” Schnittker said incredulously.

Asked why he decided to put Riggins — who ended up being the betting favorite — on the lead from post position six, Schnitkker said, “It was an easy decision. When I saw Morrill’s horse (Capote) make a break I decided to take Riggings to the front where I knew he’d be tough to beat from there.”

Riggins, a son of Art Major-Towner’s Image is the proud property of Buffalo Boys Stable, Howard Taylor, Frank Baldassare and Dave Pepin.

Morrill again found himself in the winner’s circle after he reined Phil Fluet and Keith Franklin’s Cessna Flight to a 1:56.3 victory in the fifth split. This time Morrill raced the Dream Away-One Sad Sister gelding from behind and rallied late to overtake the pacesetter Professor Jeff in the final turn and then held off the late charging Here Comes Kris (Jordan Stratton) and Majority Party (Jason Bartlett), who finished second and third, respectively.

“I was a little careful with him because he can occasionally make a break but he was good today,” Morrill said of Cessna Flight, the same pacer that he reined to a 1:55.3 victory in a NYSS event at Historic Track on July 5.

Bill Bailey won the final split with Bill Varney’s Pembroke Dandy in a 1:57 clocking after easing the colt away slowly.

“He (Pembroke Dandy) gets a little hot if he’s rushed out of there and I wanted him to be on his best behavior so I took him away easy,” Bailey related. “Once he’s settled down he’s OK.”

After trailing the field in the early going, Bailey got the son of Pacific Fella-Just Fine N Dandy rolling after the half and when the field reached the three-quarter pole Pembroke Dandy paced by the leaders and opened up daylight to the finish. JK Born To Run, driven by Jordan Stratton, worked his way between horses to get second money and the betting favorite The Race Is On, driven by the hot-handed Morrill, could do no better than a third place.