Tuesday, June 16 Recap

June 16, 2026

The afternoons Open Pace attracted a full gate of entries, Soho Skyfall A was starting from post position 2 and didn’t work too hard to make the front and showed the way with fractions of 28, 56.3. At the half Lupa and Smoking Hot Dude (R. Cushing) got underway and started the outer tier. Approaching the next station, the leader Soho Skyfall A (G. Merton) was suddenly in distress and became rough gaited and left the race course also forcing Scribblers (B. Aldrich) who was right behind him to do the same, ending both of their afternoons. Lupa took advantage of the situation as the time timer read 1:24.1 and powered home a winner in 1:53.1 -$8.08, Smoking Hot Dude was second followed by Rusty Beach (T. Merton) It was the winners third win on the year for trainer Art Green.

Coral Bella enjoyed the drop in class for trainer – driver Jason Ricco, getting the 5 length win in 1:58.4 – 3.82.  Even a blind squirrel can find a nugget, Snowport (T. Merton) who had been 0-56, finally find the winners circle from post 7 no less to eek out a win in 1:57.4-$19.80 for sixth leading trainer Greg Decker Jr. Divine Cosmos scored a wire to wire win for trainer Peter Pellegrino in 1:55.2 -$4.00, it was the first win on the year for the Jay Appelblatt owned son of Lazarus

Greg Merton reeled off 3 successive winners in the middle of the card aboard, Lupa in the Open, Divine Cosmos 1:55.2 & $4.00 & Lighting Fury breaking her maiden in a 15 length romp in 1:58 – $2.50, giving trainer Victoria Stratton her first Monti training win.

The 9 race card generated a handle of$429,774 for a per race handle of $47,752.00.