by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — It seemed only fitting that there should be a big payoff in the “big” race — or maybe it just worked out that way?

When Jimmy Shields won Monticello Raceway’s Heavyweight Driving Championship on Tuesday (May 11) with a pacer named Three Finger Brown in a 2:03¹ clocking, they lit up the tote board with mutuel payoffs of $56.50, $25.80 and $5.50 across the board.

But as big as the drivers were, Shields’ margin of victory was a scant nose as his pacer held off a late rally by Magical Mac, driven by 223 pound Terry Finch. Third place went to the betting favorite Dragon Colt, who was handled by 228 pound Claude Huckabone, Jr., in from Vernon Downs to compete.

The Heavyweight Driving Championship featured eight drivers who each weighed 200 pounds or more. And to be sure that all made the required starting weight, each driver was individually weighed in a ceremony in the winner’s circle immediately after the fourth race on the card.

Shields, at 251 pounds, was the second heaviest of the group. The top weight honors (?) of 268 belonged to Danny Gill, from Plainridge Racecourse who traveled the farthest to compete. Others involved in the event included: Michael Marx (243 lbs.); Ken Heins (235 lbs.); Craig Mosher (245 lbs.); and John Loguirato III, the “lightweight” in the group tipping in at 211 pounds.

Despite the drivers’ weights, which collectively totaled 1,904 pounds, the race went just like any other one because the design of the sulky is a great weight equalizer.

Marx, with Browns Boy N, went for the lead as the wings of the mobile starting gate folded and would not relinquish it even when Mosher and JRQ Punch challenged as the field headed to the quarter pole. With Marx on the inside and Mosher on the outside, Huckabone decided to move Dragon Colt three deep as they approached the half-marker and they gained command before the third turn.

Up the backside the second time around it appeared that Dragon Colt had everything under control. But as the pacer neared the final turn Shields had Three Finger Brown in high gear. They ranged alongside Dragon Colt and the two were neck and neck as they straightened away in the home stretch. But as Shields and Huckabone battled, Terry Finch had moved Magical Mac to the passing lane and they charged at the leaders. Three Finger Brown put away Dragon Colt but then had to contend with a fast-closing Magical Mac. The two hit the wire nearly simultaneously but when the judges deciphered the photo Shields and Three Finger Brown had won it.

“I had a longshot so I just sat along the rail (inside) and followed the leaders,” a happy Jimmy Shields said after his victory. “I really didn’t think I had much of a chance (to win) but when I saw Claude’s (Huckabone) horse start to tire and I asked my horse to go, he responded and as we hit the final turn I thought to myself, ‘hey, I got a good chance to win this one.’ But Terry’s (Finch) horse came charging up the passing lane and we were so close at the wire I wasn’t sure I won until the judges posted my number.”

Shields was joined in the winner’s circle by all the other drivers, sans horses, for photographs. He received a trophy, his horse got a blanket, and a six foot sub sandwich was presented to all the competitors which they brought back to the paddock and shared with the trainers of the competing horses.