Still, Runaway Energy again copped the pacing feature but this week the 7-year-oldBettor's Delight gelding was strung out to win by a length in a 1:57.2 clocking. Last week the pacer was victorious in 1:56.
Jimmy Devaux was again at the controls for trainer Tyler Nostadt and they used the front-end route to victory. But before Devaux pulled the plugs on Runaway Energy it appeared that Zeke Parker and In A Craze were about to go by them.
“My horse was lazy on the front-end and Zeke was coming on strong,” Devaux related. “Actually when we straightened for home I thought we were going to get beat. But the big guy let Zeke’s horse get to his head but he wouldn’t let him go by. He (Runaway Energy) raced real game.”
Parker ended up second best and Ruthless Ace and driver Rick Dane, Jr. took home the show dough.
Runaway Energy, owned and trained by Tyler Nostadt, paid $4.10 for win.
The co-featured pace went to DVC Gifted Indeed and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. in a gutsy 1:58 as they held off Haroun Hanover (Jimmy Marohn, Jr.), who once again was a bridesmaid after recording 11 victories earlier this season.
“The track was mealy after the rains and though my horse raced well I didn’t think he’d win it today. But he surprised me and hung tough and seemed to get brave when Haroun Hanover couldn’t get by us in the stretch,” Aldrich said.
Last week Aldrich and DVC Gifted Indeed teamed-up for a 1:56 triumph in the same class.
Owned by Irwin Kaplan and trained by Bob Lounsbury, DVC Gifted Indeed scored his third consecutive victory and eighth overall this year. The pacer paid $8.80 for win.
In yet another race in what might be determined as ‘the feel-good department,’ driver Rick Dane, Jr. made his longtime owner Richard Dorsch (Rock and Roll Stable) a happy man.
“Five years ago Richard claimed Distinct Victory for $20,000 and we’ve made about a quarter of a million dollars with the horse since then,” Dane said. “Today was Richard’s birthday and he was pleasantly surprised when Distinct Victory won again for him.”
Dane reined the 10-year-old Artiscape gelding to a come from behind triumph in a time of 1:58. Their neck victory over the Bruce Aldrich, Jr.-driven Shadytown kept Aldrich from winning five races on the 10-race card.
Still it was another big day for Aldrich. He reined four more winners and now has a commanding lead over runner-up Jimmy Marohn, Jr.(134-88) in the Monticello standings. With 175 winners this season, Aldrich ranks eighth in races won on the North American leaderboard.