The Ladies were Hot this afternoon

June 7, 2023

The usual pristine Catskill Mountain air was marred this afternoon from the Canadian wildfire smoke that cloaked the entire region in a shroud of smokey haze.

This afternoon’s card featured 2 splits of the EWEY Amateur Driving Club, the girls ruled the day, in the first event McKenzie Sowers and Marianna Monaco teamed up with Premier Joy A and scored in wire-to-wire fashion in 1:56.4 – $10.00.  The other dash saw Veronica Merton cut the mile but faded in the stretch to finished second to Vinovio for trainer Victoria Stratton, the winner was driven by Andrew Adamczyk, Victoria came back in the following race and won with Marty Monkhouser A in 1:56.4 – $5.80 with her husband Cory Stratton in the bike.

The 8-race card featured 2 – $7,200 Open Pace events, the first went to KJ Hunter (Taggart Jr.), who returned to his home turf to score in 1:56.1 – $8.00 for trainer Gary Messenger. The other saw Special Graduate bid his time in the garden spot while Damericansky and Admiral went head-to-head, turning for home a confidant Adam Moeykens used the passing lane to squeeze through on the rail to win in a blanket finish in 1:56.1, Sunshine Filly (Aldrich Jr.) was second followed by Admiral (Michael Merton).

Charley Dupont earned his first pari mutel win for Team Aldrich in an even 2:00 – $3.90 for the 3-year-old son of Lazarus, Merry Jerry made it 2 in a row for driver Mac Sowers and trainer Nick Devita in 1:56.6. Jimmy Taggart Jr, Nick Devita and Victoria Stratton had a doubles on the day.