MONTICELLO, NY — On Monday, March 24, winter finally loosened its icy grip on the region.

The Monticello Raceway’s half-mile harness track thawed out enough for local harness racing action to resume at the “Mighty M.” 

“It’s the worst I’ve seen in 30 years,” said Shawn Wiles, executive director of racing and facilities at the track, which opened on June 27, 1958. 

On a sad note, Wiles said the entire harness racing community was mourning the death of 27-year-old Hunter Myers, a “rising star” in the sport, who died after a crash earlier this month at the Meadows racetrack.

Myers was engaged to his fiancée and the father of a seven-month-old at the time of his tragic death, which occurred while driving Always B Royalty in the 11th race on March 19. He was reportedly thrown from his bike, as Dave Palone, the “winningest driver in Standardbred harness racing history,” made a move. According to the Daily Racing Form, that “triggered a chain-reaction spill involving six horses.”

Myers—who started racing at age 16—by 2024 had raced in 3,074 events, earning a trip to the winner’s circle 455 times in that season. He was not a driver at Monticello.

At his untimely passing, he had logged more than 2,000 career wins.

Back at the Mighty M, winter—which seemed to be a memory—proved that it wasn’t quite done with the Catskills: At the close of the fourth race of the afternoon, it started to snow.

For more on Hunter Myers, visit ustrottingnews.com/hunter-myers-passes-away-fol

lowing-racing-accident-at-meadows.