Decker wins Metamucil Mile

Monticello Raceway’s “Metamucil Mile” featured drivers, all members of AARP and all over the retirement age of 63 years. The seasoned senior citizens put on a delightful show and demonstrated that driving a harness horse is somewhat like riding a bicycle in that once you know how to do it you never forget.

The contest was won by 66 –year –old Greg Decker Sr. who scored a come-from-behind upset victory with Albatross Bonnie, a 9-year-old Bonnieandclyde mare who was winless in eight previous starts this year. She and Decker put it all together and rallied in the deep stretch to score a 2:02 victory over Sakra Bliss who was driven by 79-year-old Dr. Howard E. Gill.

“It couldn’t have worked out better for me,” Decker said referring to his picture-perfect two-hole journey that he and Albatross Bonnie received behind the pace-setter, We Know Miss Bo, who was handled by eight-time former Mighty M driving champion, 67-year-old John Gilmour.

“When Sep (John Gilmour’s nickname) sent his mare to the lead I left alongside of him and fell right into the two-hole and stayed there until we were halfway around the final turn before I had to make a move,” Decker explained. “When I pulled her (Albatross Bonnie) she dug and we got alongside Gilmour at the top of the stretch and I knew I was going to beat him but I didn’t know if my mare had enough to hold off a late charge from (the horses) behind me. And when Doc (Gill driving Sakra Bliss) came at us I wasn’t sure we’d hold him off but the old mare hung on and we won it much to my pleasure.”

Sakra Bliss was second only a half length behind the winner and though she faded in the stretch, We Know Miss Bo hung on for third place.

Decker, who rarely drives, is on somewhat of a roll as his victory with Albatross Bonnie marked his second consecutive. He recently reined Jody’s Jokester to a 2:01:3 victory in the Final of the Catskill Amateur Drivers Spring Series here on June 5.

Originally slated as an eight-horse race, the field for “the Metamucil Mile” was reduced to six after two late scratches.

Lucky Sight finished fourth for 69-year-old Stanley Brown and Twisters Sister finished fifth for the “youngster “in the race, 63-year-old Gerry Fielding. And though he made a bold move when the field approached the half-mile point ,67-year-old Bobby Schlosser finished at the back of the pack with Whitesand Survivor.

The race winner, Albatross Bonnie boasted her career earnings to over $126,000. Trained by Tammy Devaux for owners Paul Kasofsky and Fred Wilson of Liberty, NY. Albatross Bonnie paid $13.40 for the win.

(Monticello release)

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