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Monday’s (July 25) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Ocean Downs and Monticello Raceway. Lullaby Blue scores in Alan Myer Series at Ocean Downs Berlin, MD — The Alan Myer Memorial Trotting Series for fillies and mares was raced Monday night at Ocean Downs. Driver Victory Kirby drove Lullaby Blue to secure first place in the second leg of the series. Lullaby Blue set a new speed record of 2:00.4 and paid $11.60 to win. Lullaby Blue, by Credit Winner–Jersey Gal, is a 4-year-old mare trained by John Wilkerson and owned by Wm Venables, Jr. and Joan Venables. — Nick Pappas Monticello Raceway
There is an old Jerry Reed song that spews “when you’re hot — you’re hot” and that phrase can easily be applied to a pair of Standardbreds at Monticello Raceway. On Monday afternoon, trotter Giant T won his third consecutive race and ninth in his last 12 starts while on the same card pacer Parlez Best notched her fourth win in a row and her fifth victory in her last six starts. Giant T was a bargain basement purchase by the King Of The Hill Stable when they plunked down $5,000 to claim the 5-year-old altered son of Giant Hit on April 21 and since the trotter has been in the Bob Beauregard Stable he just seems to keep on winning. On Monday Jimmy Taggart, Jr. was once again at the controls behind Giant T and as they did the previous week, they sailed to the front-end and made every pole a winning one, finishing a head in front of Dreamanda and driver Terry Morgan in a time of 2:04.3 over the muddy race course. Racing for the first time with a $7,500 claiming tag, Giant T returned a $6.70 win mutuel to his backers. Later on the card Mike Merton got the driving assignment from trainer Pete Stratton and jumped up behind Parlez Best and did the same thing that Jordan Stratton and Bruce Aldrich, Jr. had done in previous weeks by adding yet another victory to the 5-year-old Cambest mare’s seasonal totals. But unlike Giant T’s travels, Merton took Parlez Best off the gate as the wings folded and was content to trek along in fifth position until they neared the halfway point. Then following the cover set by Annie Russ and driver Jimmy Taggart, Jr., Merton moved Parlez Best second-up at the half and once they straightened up the backside he moved the mare three-deep and they went on to an easy three length triumph in a time of 1:58 over a stubborn pacesetter, Blue Creek Angie (Bruce Aldrich, Jr.), who was seeking her ninth win this season. Owned by the Stratton Racing Stable, Parlez Best was sent off as the favorite in the race and paid $3.90 for win.