October 24 Race Recap
October 24, 2024
The 9-race card featured 2 divisions of the Open Trot, the first heat saw Bully Boy (PP2) get to the lead easily and continued to set the tone with splits of 29, 59.2 1:28.4. Doo Wop Kid, who made a break when the gate left took the overland route and made up a ton of ground, turning for home he was 6th, 4 lengths off the leader and was able to get up for second as Bully Boy tripped the beam in 1:59.3 – $16.40 with Jimmy Taggart Jr. handling the driving chores. Gary Messenger trains the 8-year-old son of Jailhouse Jessie.
The second heat, race 8, saw the winner of last week’s Open, Mr Contestant from the 8 hole go off at odds of nearly 13-1? Promise For Life right next to him from post 7 was made the betting favorite. Both horses didn’t leave and were sitting 7th and 8th at the half as Dwight Hanover cut the mile 28.1, 58.1. Down the backside they both made their move in tandem, as the leader hit the next station in 1:28.3. Mr Contestant was 4 wide briefly. Turning for home, Mr Contestant had a long ways to go but was able to hit high gear and just pulled off the upset over Dwight Hanover with Ackles Hanover finishing third. Promise For Life faded and finished 5th. Time for the mile was 1:59.3 – $27.80. Mr Contestant is trained by Peter Pellegrino for his second straight win in Open company for owners Room 4040 LLC.
Modern Rock notched his 4th consecutive win, 10th of the year this afternoon with Kyle Dibenedetto at the helm in 1:56.3 – $2.70 for trainer Jim Doherty. Provocativeprince (G. Merton), earned his 11th win on the year for trainer Anthony Regina the 14-year-old campaigner scored an open length win in 1:55.4
Greg Merton led all drivers with a triple on the 9-race card, Greg is currently second in the drivers standing with 171 wins, his brother Michael remains the leader with 193 wins.
