Air Guitar rocks in Monticello return

Air Guitar pulled all the strings in the first of two co-feature bookends at Monticello Raceway  on Thursday in a career-best victory despite racing on a sloppy track.

Uncle Qwackers (Michael Merton) beat rail-sitter Air Guitar to the front, but the latter quickly took control as driver Cory Stratton decisively sent him around that rival. They finished the first quarter mile in :29 and half in :59.4. Catie Faye Hanover (Jim Devaux) offered a first-over bid in the third split, which was clocked in 1:29.1, but Air Guitar declined and glided to a one-and-three-quarter length win in 1:57.2.

Catie Faye Hanover outlasted her other foes and held place. Uncle Qwackers was third-best. The win price was $2.40.

AIR GUITAR REPLAY

Air Guitar, a three-year-old Art Major colt, is now three-for-seventeen lifetime with earnings of $23,662. The colt spent his previous nine starts elsewhere before returning to Monticello, where he recorded his second career win on Apr. 20. Robert Hirsch of New City owns him.

Junior Man needed the entire first quarter to take the lead in the second co-feature, but the gelding capitalized once he got there.

Kyle DiBenedetto put Junior Man under whip tap urging as he advanced two-wide through the first turn from post four, and they reached the top while passing the quarter pole in :28.4. The pair carved out :58.2 and 1:28.3 middle splits before kicking away from three-high challengers going into the final turn. Kj Michael Gary (Jim Taggart Jr.) made minor inroads down the lane, but Junior Man had the race in hand as they crossed the line in 1:58.

JUNIOR MAN REPLAY

Kj Michael Gary finished second over a closing Patty Jo M (Devaux).

Junior Man is now four-for-22 lifetime, and the four-year-old A Rocknroll Dance gelding earned $27,692 to date. Eric Mollor trains the $5.30 winner for Gerrit Troisi of Hackensack.

Merton was the afternoon’s top reinsman with a natural hat trick consisting of races three, four, and five. He leads the drivers’ title race with 136 wins.

Monticello Raceway’s next race date will be on Monday, Jul. 12. The 10-race card includes a Fillies and Mares Open Pace. First post is listed as 12:10 p.m. EDT.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink