Monticello Picks: 01/06/2015 "What's Goin' On?"

[Teach]

What’s goin’ on in The Castskills? Monticello Raceway, to be exact. I mean the purses. The purse structure. Maybe it’s just me, but I recently noticed that some races are being run for under $2,000. What gives? I don’t know this for a fact, but I thought the racino (casino) up there in Monticello was supposed to aid the harness track’s purse structure. Are things so bad at the casino that it has impacted the track purse structure? I mean it is a shlep from New York City. This is not good. Not good for harness racing. Not good for many reasons! On the same note, I understand that the state of New York has granted Empire Resorts and EPR Investment Trust the rights to build a casino in nearby Kiamesha Lake on the site of the old Concord. What impact will that have?

Speaking of racinos, here in Massachusetts, the Plainridge Racino Slots Parlor (they call it the “first casino” in MA; slots and electronic table games) has seen their revenues drop sharply. When the place – it’s attached to Plainridge Racecourse – first opened this summer, it was “lights out”. Huge throngs of people. You could hardly find a parking place. Today, although I haven’t been there recently, I understand it’s a shadow of its former self (at least the one that we knew when it opened). Leave it to Massachusetts: “A Day Late And A Dollar Short!” Again, the crowds have thinned, markedly. My barber – he’s a slot player – prefers to travel the extra distance to Rhode Island’s Twin Rivers (the former site of Lincoln Downs).

Now, to add to all of this, there are two casinos – and a possibly a third – that have yet to open. Steve Wynn’s been granted a license to erect a casino just north of Boston in a town called Everett. There’s another one scheduled to be built in Springfield, and possibly a third by the Wampanoag Indian Tribe in either the Taunton or New Bedford (I don’t know the latest developments in that one). To add insult to injury, there’s a referendum (or is it an initiative) on the ballot here in the Bay State to build another racino. I believe the wording states it must be attached to a racetrack, as in East Boston’s Suffolk Downs (they lost out to Wynn).

I’ll be back later with my Monticello picks.

[Teach]

Race One:

7 TABLE TOP JOE is a nicely-bred 3 year-old gelding (Western Ideal) who does draw the outside 7-hole. It was Kyle's choice over the 3-horse. In a race devoid of early speed, the gelding - if Kyle chooses - could be guided to the top without too much difficulty. If he does do that and make "the engine," it could well be "Katy-Bar-The-Door" for the others. Much will be determined in the first ten to fifteen seconds. Others: 6, 2, 4

Race Two:

I'm going with 1 CHAMPAGNE MAGIC . This lightly-raced Mr. Lavec-bred trotter has admittedly done very little in recent tries. Yet, he does draw the pylons. If he stays flat -which he's done on most occasions - I believe he can be "a player" with these. This 7 year-old has faced better. The ever-improving Shawn Simons is in the bike. My only caveat is that this gelding has been away from the races for a few weeks. Yet, if he's reasonably ready... Others: 7, 2, 3

Race Three:

I'm going back inside with 1 FIVE STAR STUD. Hands down, Bruce Aldrich, Jr. is one of the best drivers campaigning at the Monticello oval. He draws the pylons with this Fake Left-bred gelding. This McArdle-bred should be in an excellent position to mount a late-closing charge. Others: 4, 5, 3

Race Four:

2 WAKE is my mild upset bid. This His Alibi-bred gelding finally draws an improved inside starting post. This gelding tends to run evenly and should be in an excellent spot to mount a closing drive. Others: 3, 4, 1

Race Five:

2 IDEAL BRAND would appear to be the horse to beat based both on his recent fine performances and the fact that he's faced better. His times are superior to the others in this race. The veteran reinsman, Mike Merton, is in the sulky. Others: 1, 3, 5

Race Six:

2 MY CANDY looked impressive in his last. He won from the same 2-hole against better, albeit a few weeks ago. One of the leading reinsmen, Bruce Aldrich. Jr., is in the sulky. Anything resembling that mid-December victory and this Mach Three-bred filly should find herself in the winner's circle once again. Others: 6, 1, 5


Race Seven:

3 CREDIT SCORE gets my nod in this trot. He just missed as the chalk in his last (a chance to redeem himself). He should be out and going when the wings retract. All this Website-bred gelding needs is a clean trip and he should be right there at the wire. The most capable Jason Ryan drives. Others: 6, 1, 8

Race Eight:

4 P L FIGHTER with Jim Devaux get my nod. This Albert Albert-bred gelding didn't do well on a sloppy track as a 22-1 shot. The gelding now gets a fast surface and an easier bunch to handle. Others: 1, 3, 2

Race Nine:

1 PRISM SEELSTER is my upset choice here. This Abercrombie-bred gelding experienced an interference break in his last and wound up a distanced seventh and last. This gelding is capable of much better with a clean, trouble-free trip. Jim Devaux in the bike, Others: 5, 2, 3

Race Ten:

In the finale, I like 1 ALLEN THE OPTOMIST with Jim Devaux. This gelding should benefit from his pylons starting post. The gelding also has the speed to prevail here. Others: 5, 6, 3

[baconswitchfarm]

Monticello handles enough slot money to have good purses for 3-6 months a year. They have horsemen who demand to race 12 months.

[mrroyboy]

I actually remember staying at the Concord a couple of times. Way way back.

[lamboguy]

i went to Monticello some time in the 80's to watch a trotter named GREENSPEEDS. i remember the horse paid $2.20 to win that day.

[Teach]

mrroyboy,

I do a program here in the Greater Boston area for seniors on The Catskills. In its day... I know I mentioned on this board that I went to a "Single's Week" at Grossinger's in August, 1968. More women than I've ever seen, in person, in any one place. The headliner was Joan Rivers.

One thing that impressed me about The Catskills was the clean, refreshing air. I grew up in the city of Boston on a main street. Pollutants, car exhausts, you name it. The air was noticeable cleaner up in the mountains.

Years ago, as I cite in my program, The Catskills was the place to go, particularly in the summer, especially for New York City-area residents. The number of comedians who got their start there was incredible. To name a few: Jerry Lewis, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason, Jerry Seinfeld, Mal Z. Lawrence, etc. Neil Sedaka (Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," "Calendar Girl," etc) would get his start there. He married the daughter of the owner of Esther's Manor. Eddie Fisher would marry Debbie Reynolds at Grossinger's. He divorced her and married Elizabeth Taylor. He was divorced again and married Connie Stevens.

Oh, Wilt Chamberlain would work as a bellhop at Kutshers; he was so tall he'd pass the guest's luggage up to their first-floor suite.

The one thing I always wondered was why didn't they bring casino gambling up there, sooner. It might have saved the place. Monticello Raceway was there in '68. They held evening cards in those days.

On a final note, before dating bars, computerized dating, and speed-dating, this was the place to go to meet a prospective husband/wife.

[mrroyboy]

Yup That's what I went for. Singles weekends etc. Catskills were clean and refreshing. Hope they still are.