Winter Carnival Racing at Monticello Raceway

[theokodjak26]

You may recall that MR didn’t always race during the winter months. Sometime in the early to mid 70’s they announced a short winter meet. I remember a few experiences of those times. To generate some interest and excitement, Herve Filion agreed to drive in a Saturday doubleheader near the Christmas holidays. I attended both cards recalling I froze my everything off during the evening card. I’m sure Herve said one and done having his horses going 2:10-2:15 times on a very cold track. But perhaps the worst of the experience was driving back to NJ on the Quickway from the top of the mountain down to Middletown. Did they salt the roads back then? I thought my driving companion was going to end on the Holiday Mountain ski slope the road was so icy. Saying I was scared would be a major understatement. I also recall that some of these races were televised on one of the local NYC channels. Who was the host? Spencer Ross, Marty Glickman, Stan Bernstein I do not remember. I also recall the live attendance was very small. I won’t mention names but if you were outside you could here certain drivers trying to choreograph the race. I remember one driver yelling at Ed Palmieri to “Pull Now”. Enough said  . Do other Ploppers remember Winter Carnival Racing?

[bello]

I remember gliding down the wurtsboro hill on Rte 17 on many winter nights. I can't believe I'm still here to tell about it.Especially as high as I was on that drive back, likely bemoaning losing my $200 allotment for the night.

Recipe for disaster for sure.

[remington]

Benny the whip went there for the winter meet. He borrowed 5k from a RR/YR trainer driver and when he came back to RR he gave him back his 5K and had 30K left over for himself.

[remington]

We had three entered on Christmas eve. The trainer drove all three of them. Two of them went off heavy favorites both should of won but he went to the front with them got to the three quarters around 1:29 and the stopped in the stretch badly. It was very cold that night. The third one he got away last and was a very long shot but he had a ton of horse at the three quarters we were screaming as they went by the three quarters pull on the right line, don't fall the bike. He circled the field and won going away. the crowd boo and boo him. We made a lot of money that night. We  got home like six on Christmas morning, but it was worth it. Usually I only went in the paddock with winners.

[theokodjak26]

During this meet if there was a doubleheader we would go to Canton Chinese or Kaplan’s Deli on Broadway in between programs to warm up on wonton or matzoh ball soups. As busy as Broadway was during the warmer months the town was near empty of pedestrians. I guess the snow and ice kept a lot of people indoors especially at night. But the strip club that was across from the track was still busy. The biggest draw wasn’t the skanks but the warmth from the heaters. I have no idea how the drivers survived the conditions at MR on those cold, snowy and windy nights. Even the trainers had to be uncomfortable just warming up their horses.

[remington]

The paddock on Christmas eve was very cold.