by John Manzi for NAADA
After finishing fourth and fifth in the first leg of the
German -American Friendship Competition at Monticello Raceway on
Wednesday (Oct. 2), Andreas Schwarz scored a victory for the
visiting Germans last night (Oct. 3) when he guided Incognito
to a 1:57.3 triumph at Yonkers Raceway .
Only one event--a pace-- was slated in the Friendship
Competition at the Hilltop oval but it was on the card as race number one.
In that contest there was plenty of movement and
Schwarz took advantage of a quick early pace and used cover like a pro to
get his pacer into contention on the final turn. As the field headed for
paydirt Incognito was fifth on the far outside, but only two
lengths off One Tough Hombre and driver Tony Verruso, who was in
front at that point after being first- over on the limb from the halfway
point.
When the tight field headed for home Schwarz’s pacer
rallied down the center of the track to collar Irish Elitist, driven by George
Bonomo who had followed the cover provided One Tough Hombre. Despite fading in
the lane Verruso’s horse held on for the show dough.
Schwarz is an owner of a horse farm with over 100
trotters near Munich, Germany and has over 475 career wins. In 1999 he
set a world record of 229 wins that year, an accomplishment that is noted in
the Guinness Record Book
Incognito, owned and trained by Joe Agostino, went off the
favorite in the race at odds of 2-1 and returned $6.30 for win.
Other members of the German team, Martina Bredlau,
Peter Platzer and Christoph Pallander finished fourth, fifth, and
sixth respectively in the Yonkers race which added 25 points to their
totals.
Members of the North American Amateur Drivers
Association who comprised the American team; Bonomo, Verruso, Dave Offenberg
and Joe Faraldo earned 17 points and although the Germans closed the gap
a bit they still trail team USA, 70-56.
The final two events in the Friendship Competition will be
on Friday night (Oct 4) at Vernon Downs and will go as races two and four on
their 12-race card.
