by john manzi for NAADA
Two
short fields went to post in the NAADA Trots at Yonkers Raceway on
Thursday, Oct. 12 before the betting car got underway and when the dust
settled “Hurricane Hannah” Miller and “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo each emerged
victorious in their respective splits. Miller won her division with Pine Tab
in 2:03.2 while Faraldo scored with Tough Get Going in 2:01.2.
Despite
his outstanding and time-consuming efforts in producing all aspects of the
International Trot slated for Saturday (Oct. 14) Faraldo found time to
sit behind a spirted steed in his own NAADA Trotting Series.
“Actually
this race was scheduled for Wednesday but it was held over until tonight
(Thursday) which was the night of the boat ride for our International
Trot guests which caused a minor dilemma for me,” Faraldo said after his
victory. “I really wanted to go on the boat ride but I knew I had a good shot
to win the NAADA race tonight.”
According
to Faraldo he drove Tough Get Going at Monticello Raceway last week and a
mishap behind the starting gate caused him to finish back.
“I
knew he (Tough Get Going) had a great chance to win tonight and I wanted to be
in the driver’s seat even though I had to pass on the International Trot boat
ride around Manhattan Isle with all my friends,” Faraldo said. “You know, I
don’t have that many live mounts when I drive and I didn’t want to pass up this
one.”
And
Faraldo ,the president of NAADA, assumption was correct and he gunned his
charge to the front and took no prisoners while making every pole a winning
one. Second place went to Fox Valley Steffen driven by Jennifer Lappe.
Billings president Tony Verruso finished third with Sam’s Honeybee.
Tough
Get Going is a 4 year old Kadabra gelding owned by D’Elegance Stable, Richard
Banca and Carmine Iannacone and trained by Banca.
The
other division saw Hannah Miller send Pine Tab to the lead and with the short
field they didn’t encounter any challenges as the two time National Amateur
Driver of the Year got her trotter to the halfway point in a soft 1:03.2
Still Pine Tab needed a :59.4 second half to hold off Bobby
Krivelin’s Permanent Joy for ahead victory. Third place went to SJ Better Days
in rein to Bob Hechkoff.
It
was Ms Miller’s 22nd winning drive thus far this year and her 95th
in just 322 career trips to post.
Pine
Tab is an 8-year-old Cantab Hall gelding owed by the JL Benson Stable and
trained by Nick Surick.
Both
NAADA races were non-wagering events.
