Sand Benelli & Bob Davis win Catskill event

Monticello Raceway hosted the Catskill harness racing amateurs on Thursday afternoon October 12th, the 7-horse field went to post for a purse of $3,900.

Ken Heins aboard Crown Isle left hard from the rail as did Fox Valley Leo and Monica Banca, going into the first turn Strong Signal and the heavy favorite KJ Brent (Robert Krivelin) got tangled up in close quarters forcing KJ Brent off stride. Heins played hard ball and gave Banca a taste of the chilly Catskill Mountain air as the pair raced side by side past the ¼ in 27.3, they continued in tandem to the half in 57.

The eventual race winner Sand Benelli, at this point was last and gapped 15 lengths from the leader. Down the backside Crown Isle and Fox Valley Leo continued to slug it out, at this point the outer flow devolved. Crown Isle still firmly held his ground as he took the field to the ¾ marker on 1:27, Fox Valley was getting leg weary on the outside caused congestion forcing Lighting Strike and Sand Benelli 3 deep at the paddock gate, as the early pace setters began to tire.

The pair skipped away by 2 lengths at the top the stretch, Bob Davis and Sand Benelli were able to get up in time to win over Lighting Strike by ¾ lengths in 1:56, Blue Fin was 3rd. Sand Benelli paid $33.80. Strong Signal was placed third but due to the interference in the first turn was DQ'd and was set back to last.

Bob Davis owns and trains the well-traveled Sand Benelli, an 11-year-old gelding by The Panderosa who garnered his 3rd win of the year.

By: Shawn Wiles

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