by
john manzi for NAADA and CADC
Planned
for and presented on November 10, the 241st anniversary of the
founding the United States Marine Corps, local amateur clubs had two races- a
trot and a pace- at Monticello Raceway for military veterans who are also
amateur drivers and at days end both the North American Amateur Drivers
Association and the Catskill Amateur Drivers Club each presented a check for
$1000 to the Sullivan County Veterans Food Bank director Kathy Kreiter.
In
the trotting event, army veteran, Irving Bluestein, took no prisoners and went
down the road to score a 2:01.1 victory with Pocket Passer while Alan Schwartz,
a former Marine who served in Viet Nam, rallied Worth Watching to a 1:58.1
triumph in the pacing contest.
Bluestein
sent Pocket Passer to the lead from the two-hole and played hardball when the
betting favorite, Whata Hustler (Jimmy Marshall IV), challenged for the lead.
But Bluestein remained undaunted and kept the pedal to the medal and didn’t
allow Marshall’s trotter to get the lead in .28.4 first quarter.
Still
out in the fresh air Whata Hustler couldn’t take command and the leaders raced
one-two past the half in :58.3. When Marshall’s trotter began to tire
Pocket Passer opened up a two length lead at the third stanza and remained in
front all the way to the wire. Don Hoover, a former member of the National
Guard, got Grecale AS up for the place money while Gerry Fielding, an Army
Reservist, took home the show dough with Maggie O
.
“I
felt bad about having to park out (Don) Hoover but it was the right move at the
right time,” said Bluestein, who came in from Dedham, Mass. just to compete in
the veterans races.
Pocket
Passer, owned by Mark Levy, Carl Gillespie and Betsy Phillips, and trained by
Gillespie, paid $8.40 for win.
Alan
Schwartz, the winningest amateur driver currently competing, scored a length
victory- his 575th - when he guided Worth Watching to a solid
length victory as the betting favorite.in the
pacing contest.
Sent
off at odds just over even- money Schwartz settled his pacer in the three hole
on the first turn as former army reservist Allen Sisco cut speedy fractions of
:27.4 and :58.2 with Smokey’s Luck . As they headed to the halfway
point Schwartz moved Worth Watching off the pylons and took aim
took aim at Smokeys Luck but his charge didn’t gain complete command until they
rounded the final turn.
When
the field headed for home Smokey’s Luck began to tire and Worth Watching took
the lead and held off a hard charging Fox Valley Leo, driven by Navy veteran
Jimmy Marshall IV, to score a one length triumph. Gerry Fielding finished third
with Art Retreat.
“When
we rounded the final turn I wasn’t sure that I was going to beat Allen’s horse
(Smokeys Luck) but by mid-stretch he tired and we went on to victory,” Schwartz
related.
The
winner, owned by Ed and James Hall and trained by Dan Gill, paid $4.10.
.
After
the final race all the competitors in the veteran’s races gathered in the
winner’s circle to present $1000 checks - one each from NAADA and CADC -to
Kathy Kreiter, director of the Sullivan County Food Bank.
