Monticello Open declared non-wagering

The featured harness racing Open Pace at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday ended as a non-wagering event after two horses hooked wheels and a driver fell from the sulky. All of the starters in the race were affected by the horses locking wheels.

Grand Priority (Cory Stratton), Hestons Blue Chip (Jim Taggart Jr.), and Brackley Beach (Michael Merton) left evenly and dueled three-wide into the first turn. Hestons Blue Chip and Brackley Beach, who were in the two and three-paths respectively, locked wheels midway through the turn. They quickly freed themselves, but Taggart Jr. was thrown from the bike as it slid and bumped sharply. The loose Hestons Blue Chip then remained on the track for another turn before going into the safety lane and eventually the infield.

Howard Oil, the track announcer, called that Taggart Jr. got up and managed to catch Hestons Blue Chip, who remained upright throughout. Fox Valley Charliz, who was directly behind the stalled pair, avoided running into them due to a quick reaction by driver Brandon Parker. Camwood (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) finished first in 1:57 after avoiding the incident, but the officials ruled the race a non-wagering contest. Grand Priority was also not involved in the tangle.

RACE ONE REPLAY

Taggart Jr. continued driving after his fall and won the next race with Hardware Princess (1:57.3).

Track conditions deteriorated throughout the day as rain soaked the oval.

Far Better (Merton) captured the sub-feature pace as he pressed on to the front after being parked into the first turn, set fractions of :28.2, :58.1, and 1:27.2 while battling foes, and stormed home in the stretch to score in 1:56.2.

FAR BETTER REPLAY

Far Better is a four-year-old altered son of Bettors Delight. He’s won 10 of his 42 career attempts and has now earned $43,200. Nicholas Devita trains for owner Robert Stasio of Staten Island.

Merton tripled with wins behind Ardent (2:01.3) in the third, Due West (2:01.1) in the sixth, and Far Better in the eighth.

Monticello Raceway will be back on Wednesday, Jun. 9 with another Open kicking off the seven-race program at 12:10 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink