By
john manzi
After
getting grounded in Germany because of a strike at the airport Hannah Miller,
along with her boyfriend Nick Surick, found another way to get to Naples for
the International Friendship Challenge which began today(Friday) at Agnano race
track.
With
the visiting Americans now at full strength—Hannah missed the opening
ceremonies on Thursday due to the airport strike—the 10 drivers were ready to
do battle in the first of the Challenge races.
Despite
being on unfamiliar turf the visiting Americans made a strong showing on the
first day of competition in the Friendship Challenge, especially Dein Spriggs,
who won the second Challenge trot and Hannah Miller, who had a second
place finish in the first Friendship
Challenge race.
In
the second event Pennacchio hustled his charge to the lead while Spriggs
settled in fifth position on inside and Hannah got away stuck on the limb.
Oldford’s trotter made a break early and Mitchell’s horse was never got in
contention.
Spriggs sat chilly with a
very live horse while pinned in as Pennacchio cut the mile. When Hannah’s
trotter tired it allowed Spriggs to see daylight and he angled his horse to the
outside and took the lead and then charged home an easy winner.
In the earlier race
Hannah went to the lead and then let Joe Pernnacchio take command, which he did
but then he allowed an Italian to cut the fractions.
When
the field headed down back side both
Pennacchio and Hannah got shuffled farther back as another Italian cleared to
the front. When the field rounded the final turn and headed for paydirt ,
Hannah pushed her way out and began a charge but her trotter fell just a
neck short and they finished a very creditable second.. Pennacchio finished
fifth, Steve Oldford was sixth and Dein Spriggs and Mike Mitchell’s horses both
made breaks and they were disqualified.
The afternoon action on day-
one of the Friendship Competition. was related by both Nick Surick and Steve
Oldford and it was a delighted Oldford
who spoke for Team USA when he said; “Our Italian friends are treating us to mucho wine and fine food,” and then he added
,“Viva Italia!!”
Racing continues Saturday
with one race slated for the Friendship Challenge. The Gran Premio Lotteria
will be raced on Sunday and prior to that event there will be a final race in
the USA vs Italy Friendship Challenge.
