by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — To say that racing in the north during the winter is unforgiving would be an understatement. Frigid weather, snow and ice, and mud and rain easily portrays what horses and horsemen have to go through just to keep the show going. And often racing has to be cancelled due to the climate conditions.

Since the 2014 season began on New Year’s Day, Monticello Raceway has presented just two of its five scheduled programs having to cancel on Thursday (Jan. 2), Friday (Jan. 3) and now Tuesday (Jan. 7) because of temperature readings of -2 degrees.

However, the Monday (Jan. 6) card was raced despite the falling rain which made conditions terrible, especially for the drivers. But like football players and mailmen, the reinsmen tightened-up and did their jobs and Mighty M driver Jimmy Devaux did his better than his competitors that afternoon.

Geri Schwarz photo

Red Eye Blue Chip rallied to victory over P H Dreamer to score her fifth consecutive win.

Devaux won three races over the muddy track and one was with Norm Bradbury’s Red Eye Blue Chip who notched her fifth consecutive victory extending back through last December. The gritty 9-year-old mare won 16 races and had 10 seconds last year.

Sent off second choice behind the Bob Lounsbury-trained, Brice Aldrich Jr.–driven P H Dreamer, Devaux and Red Eye Blue Chip sped away from the gate, gained command on the first turn and then let P H Dreamer take the lead and cut the fractions over the muddy racecourse.

Devaux followed Aldrich through fractions slowed by the racing surface until they reached the top of the lane where upon Devaux moved his pacing mare to the passing lane and she out-footed P H Dreamer to the wire for a length triumph in a 2:03.1 clocking.

When he reached the winner’s circle for a photograph Devaux had a face full of mud but still uttered, “She’s game and she went another gutsy trip.”

Owned and trained by Norm Bradbury, Red Eye Blue Chip paid $5.80 for win.

Devaux also hit paydirt Monday by winning the first race on the card with George Lombardi’s Aruba Sunset ($6.30) in 2:02.4 and he then copped the tenth with Marissa Russo’s trotter VIP ($3.30), a 17-time winner last year, in a 2:04.3 clocking.

Besides his hat trick, Devaux also had three seconds from the nine drives he had that afternoon.