Monticello Raceway
Monticello Raceway was a historic harness racing facility located at Routes 17 and 17-B, Raceway Road, in Monticello, New York. The property also operated a video gaming casino featuring slot machines and electronic table games regulated by the New York State Lottery.
Situated approximately 90 minutes from New York City, Monticello Raceway served as a major regional destination for both live racing and casino gaming. The casino featured a spacious gaming floor that occupied an entire level of the complex and operated seven days a week.
Harness races were conducted at Monticello Raceway year-round, making it a staple of New York’s harness racing circuit for decades.
Monticello Raceway officially began operations on June 27, 1958. Beginning in 1996, the track significantly expanded its simulcast distribution, steadily increasing the number of outlets carrying its live races.
Through aggressive simulcast growth initiatives, Monticello Raceway eventually reached more out-of-state simulcast outlets than all other New York harness racing tracks combined. In its later years, the track added simulcast outlets in Canada and expanded distribution by an additional 31 outlets in Las Vegas.
Empire Resorts, the property’s former owner, invested approximately $2 million in a new paddock area to attract higher-quality horses and leading horsemen. At its peak, Monticello Raceway ranked among the largest all-weather harness racing tracks in the United States and regularly hosted premier events such as the New York Sire Stakes.
The casino featured more than 1,000 slot machines overseen by the New York State Lottery. Empire Resorts also invested nearly $30 million in renovations to the 40,000-square-foot gaming floor, offering popular casino games comparable to those found in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Additional amenities included the Lava Lounge, HYPE! live entertainment venue, and multiple dining options such as the Winner’s Circle Buffet, Bistro at the Terrace, and the Mighty Mmmm Food Court.
Monticello Raceway’s casino and video gaming operations were permanently closed on April 23, 2019, following Empire Resorts’ strategic shift to consolidate gaming at Resorts World Catskills, a full commercial casino that opened nearby in February 2018 under approval from the New York State Gaming Commission. While the closure of the casino marked the end of nearly 15 years of gaming at Monticello Raceway, harness racing and simulcast wagering have continued, preserving its role as a longstanding venue in New York racing history since its opening in 1958.
MONTICELLO RACEWAY TRACK RECORDS
| PACERS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Mile Distance | ||||
| Date | Horse Name | Driver | Age/Breed | Time |
| 07/29/2024 | Groovin Will | Gregory Merton | 2-year-old colt | 1:54.1 |
| 07/19/2021 | Joyride Hanover | Todd McCarthy | 2-year-old filly | 1:54.2 |
| 07/28/2025 | Hunt Of The Press | Tyler Butler | 2-year-old gelding | 1:53.1 |
| 07/30/2007 | Kenneth J | Ron Pierce | 3-year-old colt | 1:52.1 |
| 08/04/2025 | Shes A Streaker | Tyler Butler | 3-year-old filly | 1:52.1 |
| 08/26/2014 | For A Bettor Time | Jim Morrill Jr. | 3-year-old gelding | 1:52 |
| 09/16/2014 | Twin B Famous | Michael Meron | 4-year-old horse | 1:54.1 |
| 07/15/2007 | Darlins Delight | Y. Gingras | 4-year-old mare | 1:52.3 |
| 07/7/2015 | Jack Attack | B. Aldrich Jr. | 4-year-old gelding | 1:53.1 |
| 07/24/2007 | Mypanmar | J. Campbell | Aged horse | 1:51.2 |
| 08/29/2022 | Isla Seelster | B. Parker | Aged mare | 1:52.4 |
| 06/07/2016 | Royal Heart | Bruce Aldrich, Jr. | Aged geld | 1:51.4 |
| TROTTERS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Mile Distance | ||||
| Date | Horse Name | Driver | Age/Breed | Time |
| 08/19/2019 | Berkley J | J. Bartlett | 2-year-old colt | 1:58 |
| 07/31/2017 | Fourth Dimension | B. Sears | 2-year-old colt | 1:58 |
| 08/14/2023 | Senorita Palema | M. MacDonald | 2-year-old filly | 1:56.4 |
| 08/25/2015 | Allerage Echo | C. Lems | 2-year-old gelding | 1:58.1 |
| 07/17/2017 | Gerri’s Joy | J. Campbell | 3-year-old colt | 1:56.1 |
| 07/17/2017 | Goosebump Hanover | J. Morrill, Jr. | 3-year-old colt | 1:56.1 |
| 08/11/2021 | Ahundreddollarbill | A. McCarthy | 3-year-old gelding | 1:54.1 |
| 07/16/2007 | Man About Town | Y. Gingras | 4-year-old horse | 1:55.4 |
| 07/29/2015 | Chelsea’s Chance | J. Ryan | 4-year-old mare | 1:55.3 |
| 06/24/2015 | Justice Boy | B. Aldrich Jr. | 4-year-old gelding | 1:55.4 |
| 05/24/2024 | Promise For Life | Jim Devaux | Aged Horse | 1:56.1 |
| 05/03/2017 | Can I Say | B. Aldrich Jr. | Aged Mare | 1:56.3 |
| 09/17/2014 | On The Podium | B. Aldrich Jr. | Aged Geld | 1:56.2 |
| 06/17/2015 | Hesgotlegs | F. Calgani | Aged Geld | 1:56.2 |
| 05/25/2016 | Brandos Muscle Man | L. Stalbaum | Aged Geld | 1:56.2 |
| 08/10/2016 | Perfect Rendition | L. Stalbaum | Aged Geld | 1:56.2 |
| 08/15/2016 | Kremlin | J. Devaux | Aged Geld | 1:56.2 |
Top 5 Winningest Drivers at Monticello Raceway
- Billy "Zeke" Parker Jr.
Widely regarded as the most successful driver ever to compete at Monticello Raceway, Billy "Zeke" Parker Jr. amassed over 12,000 career victories and earned more than $31 million in purses during his 52-year career. A dominant force for decades, he captured an unprecedented 18 seasonal driving titles at the track, including a single-season record of 526 wins in 1995, and reached the 10,000-win milestone in 2010 before retiring as a winner in 2022. His unparalleled excellence and deep connection to Monticello made him the defining figure of the track's storied driving colony. - Jimmy Devaux
A powerhouse in the New York harness-racing circuit, Jimmy Devaux consistently ranked among the top drivers at Monticello during its peak years in the 2000s and 2010s. Known for his remarkable career longevity - surpassing 7,000 wins by 2023 - and high-volume seasons, Devaux secured at least four driving titles, including a standout 386-win campaign in 2017, carving out a reputation as one of the sport's most accomplished and reliable performers with exceptional track knowledge honed since childhood. - Bruce Aldrich Jr.
Bruce Aldrich Jr. was one of Monticello Raceway's most decorated drivers, highlighted by multiple driving titles including back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016, plus another in 2020. Trusted by trainers and respected across the industry for his consistency—reaching 8,000 career wins by 2021—he remained among the track's leading reinsmen through its modern era, often posting 200+ win seasons and contributing to family legacies in the sport with his steady, high-percentage driving style. - Jim Taggart Jr.
Jim Taggart Jr. emerged as a steady, high-achieving presence at Monticello, regularly appearing among the track's leaders in wins and purse earnings with three driving titles in 2019, 2022, and 2023. His consistency, marked by surpassing 6,000 career wins in 2024, and strong performances across pacers and trotters made him a prominent figure in the track's recent competitive landscape, earning widespread respect in the New York harness-racing community for his versatility and late-career surges. - Greg Merton
Greg Merton rounded out the list of top performers with a strong body of work supported by solid win totals - reaching 5,000 career victories in 2021 - and two driving titles in 2000 and 2005. His success at Monticello, often alongside brother Michael in the local driving colony, reflected both skill and longevity, with frequent high-volume seasons contributing significantly to the competitive depth of the track's roster and cementing the Merton family's enduring legacy in harness racing.