The event will be the sixth leg in the year-long Heritage
Drivers Series.
However, Velvety Smooth can expect a serious
challenge from Kewlgurl and driver Kyle DiBenedetto especially if the
mare can find a spot along the pylons after leaving
from the eight-hole. Her fastest victory this year was in a time of 1:59.2
Although Girls Love Diamonds, who’ll start from
post five, only has a seasonal best of 2;02 taken on a muddy track ,
the 5 year old The Panderosa mare has been individually clocked in 1:55
and a piece multiple times in earlier outings. She’ll be driven by Matt
Zuccarello.
Two-time defending champ, Jimmy Marohn, Jr. will be looking
for the winners circle again this year when he drives Biding Her Time a
from post position four.
Last month Germany’s Wim Paal drove in the Munich Mile and
this month we have a native-Italian, Antonino Buttitta from Palermo,
Italy, starting for the first time in the Godfather Pace, “ noted Eric Warner
the tracks director of racing.
As usual , Warner has put together a very competitive race
with virtually no ‘stick-outs’.
“The field is very well balanced and appears to be
extremely competitive so it’ll be a wide-open affair with almost
any of the starters having a chance to win,” Warner added.
The pacers will line-up with post positions and odds
as follows: 1-Velvety Smooth (Mike Forte-5-2); 2-True Gritty(Rock Vinci-8-1);
3-Lei Day(Greg Annaloro-9-2); 4-Biding Her Time (Jimmy Marohn-10-1); 5-Girls
Love Diamonds (Matt Zuccarello-7-2); 6-Satin Sweetheart (John De
Simone-12-1); 7-Shezaflamintower-Antonino Buttitta) and 8-Kewlgurl (Kyle
Dibenedetto-4-1)
Later this fall the winner of the Godfather Pace will
represent Italian- Americans in the Heritage Drivers Series Final , dubbed the
All America Cup.
The Godfather Pace is slated as race number four on the
12-racecard of Monday, August 27. First post t will be at 12:50pm.
