by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Originally advertised to be raced for an estimated $240,000, Monticello Raceway’s Philip Tully Memorial Trot for 3-year-old fillies, slated to go to post on Monday afternoon, October 22, will end up going for a total purse of $418,000, of which $80,000 was already consumed by four elimination legs.

However, to the pleasure of the owners involved, the 107 fillies who made sustaining payments and the 30 who entered to race — including one supplemental — ballooned the total purse to almost $180,000 more than initially advertised.

Wth four elimination races needed to whittle the field to eight starters, it obviously made it much tougher to earn a berth into the rich finale, especially when only the first two finishers from each elimination leg became eligible. And with the first two finishers from each of the eliminations in the final event, that race will definitely showcase the crème of the crop.

“Our Tully Memorial Final will not only feature the best of the fillies who entered but also many of the best racing today,” noted Monticello Raceway’s Director of Racing Eric Warner. “I believe that the post positions and the half-mile track make this a wide open affair and though each filly won’t go off at the same odds they all have a chance and racing luck and driving strategy will undoubtedly determine the winner.”

The four elim winners, Gerri’s Joy, Exotic Destination, Victoria Volo and Likeavirgin Lindy drew posts three, four, five and eight, respectively.

Likeavirgin Lindy, who’ll start from the far outside, turned in the fastest time last Monday when she and driver George Brennan defeated Pippiwhitestockngs in 1:58, which equaled the track record for sophomore trotting fillies.

But Brennan gave up that mount and chose instead to drive Exotic Destination, whom he reined to a 2:00.1 victory in the elims. Perhaps the fact that Exotic Destination will start from post four helped Brennan to make up his mind as to which filly to drive.

Gerri’s Joy, who led Rosy Prospect to the wire in a 1:58.3 clocking last Monday, will again have John Campbell in the sulky when she starts from post position three. Campbell qualified two — Victoria Volo (2:00.1) being the other — from the elimination events, but he opted to handle Gerri’s Joy in the Tully Memorial Final.

With the speedy field of fillies and arguably the two fastest — Likeavirgin Lindy and second place finisher Pippiwhitestockngs (already a 1:56.3 winner on a half-mile track) — on the outside from post eight and seven, respectively, the track record for the 3-year-old trotting fillies is definitely in jeopardy.

The field, with post positions, drivers and morning line odds, lines up as follows: Rosy Prospect (#1-Brian Sears-6-1); Just Dandy (#2-Billy Parker, Jr.-8-1); Gerri’s Joy (#3-John Campbell-5/2); Exotic Destination (#4-George Brennan-9/2); Victoria Volo (#5-David Miller-3-1); Ms Virginia (#6-Tony Morgan-4-1); Pippiwhitestockngs (#7-Jody Jamieson-10-1); Likeavirgin Lindy (#8-Stephane Bouchard-7-2).