Hechkoff, an executive recruiter by trade, wasted little time
taking Tremendous Hit to the lead and once there he refused
to give it up. Along the way Hechkoff rebuffed all challenges, and there were
many, but none could wrest the lead away from Tremendous Hit.
Hechkoff and Tremendous Hit sailed through fractions of
:30-1:01.2-1:33.2 before finishing a one length winner.
“He (Tremendous Hit) is a classy old trotter and
he’s good on the lead,” Hechkoff related. “I didn’t want to give it up
and when we got a breather going to the three quarters I knew we’d be tough to
beat from there.”
Dave Offenberg and Double Strength were in second place and
within striking distance as the field came off the final turn but Tremendous
Hit proved too much for his competition and rambled home an easy winner.
Dave Yarock and Rompaway Alvin rallied for second money while Double
Strength faded and finished third.
It was the second seasonal driving victory for Hechkoff who
now has 32 since he earnestly began amateur competition in 2005.
Tremendous Hit , an 11-year-old Giant Hit gelding and winner
of nearly $400,000 lifetime, is owned by R.B.H. Ventures and trained by Brandon
Simpson. The trotter was sent off as the soft favorite in the race and paid
$5.60 for win.
The final preliminary leg of the NAADA Trotting Series will
again be at Freehold Raceway on Thursday, May 10. After that, the drivers who
have earned the most points in the series will earn a berth in the $12,000
NAADA Final to be raced at Yonkers Raceway on May 17.
