New Year’s Eve Recap

December 31, 2025

On the final card of the season, Monticello Raceway held an Au Revoir Race for retiring 14 year olds with 7 warriors behind the gate. Between the 7 War Horse’s they have combined earnings of $3,277,000 and 314 wins amongst them. Itsonlyrockknroll has an amazing 74 lifetime wins. The richest of the group in Luciano N, in his 386 lifetime starts he earned $610,346, the fastest of them is the Ken Devaux trained Chantepleure with a record of 1:50.1 taken at Tioga Downs as a 7 year Old.

The race unfolded with Chantepleure from the rail cut the mile while Itsonlyrocknroll sat in the garden spot throughout. After a quick opening panel of 27.3, not bad for a 14 year old, the positions remained unchanged. Turning for home Chantepleure look like a winner but the Australian bred Itsonlyrocknroll showed his class and refused to yield and came away a 1-length winner in 1:59 – $10.46 for Owner Trainer – Driver Winter Stalbaum. Chantepleure (J. Devaux) held on for second,. Ziggy Sky (M. Merton) finished 3rd.

Thor And Dr Jones extended his win skein to 3 in a row, he was driven by William Carter and is trained by Bryson. Mike Merton had a driving triple Mike Cushing had a double