By john Manzi for the North American Amateur Driving Association
Six weeks ago USTA Director Joe Faraldo was leading a
contingent to Vincennes Racetrack in Paris, France with the specific
intention of sealing an international simulcast agreement between the
U.S. Trotting Association and the French Trotting Organization (Le Trot). He
was joined on that endeavor by Yonkers Raceway president, Tim Rooney, Alex
Dadoyan, the executive director of the Standardbred Owners Association of New
York , Mike Kimelman, president of Blue Chip Farms as well as a interested
group of SOA of NY members and associates.
Last night (March6) at Yonkers Raceway Faraldo won the
second division of a trotting series sponsored by the North American Amateur
Drivers Association. He shared the limelight with Neil Glasser, a business
professional who recently re-joined the amateur driving movement.
For both gentlemen drivers their victories were their first
of the 2014 season. Faraldo’s win came behind his own Rodeo Red in a time of
2:02.4 while Glasser won with JS Miss Linda, a trotting mare that he owns in a
2:03.1 clocking,.
In his contest, Faraldo sat back off the early pace and then
rallied in the deep stretch to a length victory after trailing the Carbon
Footprint (Dave Yarock ) by three lengths as the field headed for home.
Yarock’s trotter held on for the place money and Tony Verruso took home the
show dough with Sam’s Honeybee.
“When my horse is right he’s a nice trotter and he was right
tonight,” Faraldo said after his victory and then added with tongue in cheek,
“Even a blind squirrel gets an acorn every now and then.”
For Faraldo the victory was the 138th of his
amateur driving career.
En route to his victory Glasser used a two hole journey with
JS Miss linda to overtake the pace-setter Get Packin (Bob Hechkoff) as the
field rounded the final turn and then they went on to score a two length
triumph in 2:03.1. Get Packin was second best and Hardrockinjessica
finished third for Monica Banca.
Glasser,47, has been in and around in harness racing
his entire life since his parents Arthur and Evelyn Glasser owned and raced
standardbreds for decades. It was his 20th career driving victory.
Glasser began his amateur career in 1980 and except for a
few seasons he never drove more than six races a year. Since 1991
he has driven just 28 times and his last victory came during the 1991campaign.
and it was said that he truly celebrated his latest triumph.
“I did some celebrating last night since this win was a
longtime coming,” Glasser said.
