By
john manzi for NAADA & the Catskill Club
With
the blowing wind and the intermittent rain making an awful afternoon for racing
at Monticello Raceway professionals and amateurs alike had to be at the top of
their game just to navigate the muddy racetrack. Arguably, going was the
toughest for the participating amateurs who rarely drive during these kind of circumstances.
Despite
the deplorable conditions two NAADA trots, and one Catskill Club pace, dotted
the 10-race Mighty M card and when the afternoon had ended Bobby Krivelin, Tony
Ciuffetelli and Bob Hechkoff each were victorious in their contests.
In
the first of two NAADA trots, Krivelin, a three time Amateur Driver of the
Year, got away slowly from post six with Permanent Joy and they continued forward movement and
gradually gained on the pace-setter, Alternat Thursdays (Bob Hechkoff) who was
leading the field by open lengths from the get-go.
Fifth
at the half and then fourth heading into the final turn Krivelin hustled his
veteran gelding three-deep around traffic and at the top of the lane they took
aim at Alternat Thursdays. By midstretch they had pulled even with the leader
and under gentle urging Permanent Joy trotted by Alternat Thursdays and went on
to a length victory in 2:01.3 over the muddy racetrack.Ozymandias, in from
Saratoga, finished third for Matt Zuccarello
“Going
three deep on the final turn was winning move, “ Krivelin chirped after the
race. “If I didn’t move around horses on the final turn Hechkoff would have
gotten away from my horse and our fortunes would have been reversed.”
.
Permanent
Joy, owned by the Hero Stables and trained b y Krivelin paid $6.40 for win.
A
second NAADA Trot was a laugher for Bob Hechkoff’s, No Recess.
With
the field shortened to six and a break before the start by Starsaboverallerage
(Tony Verruso) No Recess burst to the lead and played catch me if you can which
no one was able to do.
Hechkoff
got his charge over to a half in 1:01.2 and once he gave the trotter his head
No Recess poured it on and began opening daylight on Windsun Galliano and Tony
Ciuffetelli who was shadowing the leader. But No recess had too much class for
this field and cruised to an easy six-length triumph in a 2:00.4 clocking.
Windsun Galliano held second while Knockout Rosie and Bob Davis finished third,
some 10 lengths behind the winner.
This
was No Recess’s third consecutive victory and eighth of the year. Co-owned by
RBH Ventures and Kyle Spanola and trained by Spagnola No Recess paid just $2.40
for win.
The
other amateur event, a pace in the Catskill Club’s Series, saw Tony Ciuffetelli
and McCabe Hall out-foot Hannah Miller’s Rise Above It in the deep stretch to garner the lion’s
share of the purse.
After
racing on the lead from the reel, McCabe Hall braced for a stiff challenge by
Rise Above It as the two headed into the final turn. Initially it appeared that
Rise Above It was going to overtake McCabe Hall on the paddock turn but when
they straightened for home McCabe Hall inched back to the lead and according to
announcer Howard Oil’s final words “McCabe Hall would not be denied!”. At the
wire the 13 year old Cambest gelding was
a length better than Rise Above It in the 2:00.1 mile.Shark Treasure was third
for Gerry Fielding.
Ciuffetelli also owns and trains the winner who returned
an $8.30 win mutuel.
