Rose Run Kevin; Valcyon Days win at Monticello

Woody Hoblitzell  is a happy man after his Rose run Kevin won a division of the daily trotting features at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday afternoon,  March 24. But then again so were Brenda Messenger and Dr. Scott Woogin when their Valcyon Days copped the other featured trot.

Rose Run Kevin, trained by Bruce Aldrich, Sr. and driven by Greg Merton, had a soft pocket trip behind the pace-setter Buck ID  and then rallied in the deep stretch to trot away to a one length triumph over a fast-closing Bacon Hill Scott (Mike Forte) in 2:03:4 over a race track softened  by warm springlike weather. Four Starz Ransom took home the show dough with Mike Spano aboard.

A recent purchase by Hoblitzell, Rose Run Kevin won for the second consecutive time for his new connections. The victory for Greg Merton moved him yet another notch closer to 3,000 career wins. He currently has 2,990.

Winning this year is nothing new for Valcyon Days. With Zeke Parker at the controls the 7- year-old trotter scored his fourth seasonal triumph  when he went wire to wire  and tripped the timerin 2:01:4. Valcyon Days was a  1-1/2 length winner over Konchie  and Bruce Aldrich, Jr. with Caviar Kid  and driver Jimmy Devaux third.

With this victory Valcyon Days, who’s been off the board in only once in eight seasonal  starts,upped his seasonal bankroll to over $15,000.

Parker, who is closing in on 10,000 career driving victories-- he now has  9,949--drove two other winners on the card. He scored behind Elisha Lafreniere’s GE’s Scott in 1:59:2 and with Vinnie Grippa’s Cagey Cole in 2:00. It was Parker’s 40th winning drive of the meeting. (Monticello)

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