A
pair of Bob’s emerged victorious in the
ninth leg of the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s spring trotting
which was contested at Yonkers Raceway on March 17. Bob Kenney reined Rev Up
The Spice to a 1:59.2 triumph in the first division and Bob Krivelin scored a
1:59.4 victory in the second split with Current Crisis.
Kenney
scored his first victory in the series while Krivelin emerged victorious for
the third time and he is currently is atop the series leaderboard, now with 63
points.
With
both events contested on St. Patrick’s Day some might say it was the luck of
the Irish that propelled Bob Kenney to victory. But make no mistake the big
fellow knows his way around a double oval.
After
leaving soft from the three-hole Kenney was content to drop down along the
pylons in fifth position as Joe Faraldo
and Dreamsteeler sped to the lead when the gate folded and they kept Mr.
Invincible (David Glasser) and Fox Valley Steffen (John Kokinos) out in the
fresh air as Dreamsteeler led the field by the first stanza in :29. When the
field headed into the paddock turn there were five in and two still out on the
limb as they raced past the half mile marker in :58.4.
Kenney
sat cool in the pocket and bided his time with Rev Up The Spice and waited for
daylight which came as the field approached the three quarters. Kenney’s
trotter then ranged alongside Faraldo’s charge and they raced head to head into
the final turn. At that point Dreamsteeler began to fade and Kenney’s trotter
took command in the lane and braced for Fox Valley Steffen who had raced on the
limb the entire mile. But at the wire Rev Up The Spice was 1-1/2 length victor
over Fox Valley Steffen. Sam’s Honeybee (Tony Verruso) came from far back to
finish third.
The
winner, an 8-year old Revenue S gelding, is owned by the Di Stefano & Son
Stable and trained by John Di Stefano.
In
the second split a breaking horse caused interference with two inside horses as
the race began. Meanwhile Bob Hechkoff gunned Sing Out to the lead and they had
five lengths on the field as they passed the first quarter. At that point the
eventual winner, Current Crisis, was comfortable racing in second position.
As
the field approached the halfway point Dave Offenberg moved Blueberry Kidsqueen
out to challenge Sing Out and they raced
side by side up the backstretch and at that point Krivelin slipped off the
pylons and followed Offenberg’s trotter around the final turn. When the field
headed for home Bluebird Kidsqueen had a two length lead but in the deep
stretch Current Crisis rallied to notch a solid one-length triumph. Nautilus De
Vie and Dave Yarock rambled home for the show dough.
It
was the third victory in the series for Current Crisis who’s owned by the Hero
Stables and trained by Krivelin.
The
next leg of the NAADA Series will be raced at Freehold Raceway on Saturday,
March 26. A $15,000 series finale is set
for Thursday, April 7 at Yonkers Raceway.
