by john manzi for NAADA
MONTICELLO,NY-Less than a
week after the North American Amateur Drivers Association completed their Friendship
Challenge against the visiting Hungarians it was back to two trots in the
seventh leg of the NAADA spring trotting series at Monticello Racewa. And when
the judges declared the races official, Paul Minore and Alan Schwartz each
reined a winner in their respective splits on the nine race betting card.
Minore won the sixth race
with Stayin Strong in 2:01.2 while Schwartz copped the ninth and final race of
the afternoon with with Ladys Big Stormont in the identical time of 2:01.2.
In his division Minore
notched is 100th career victory with a come-from-behind triumph to
score a head victory over a stubborn Fox Valley Steffen, driven by Jennifer
Lappe. Tony Verruso garnered the show dough with Flirting Duezy, who was
another half length back in third.
“After starting from the
seven-hole and sitting in sixth position some 10 lengths off the lead, I knew
with the quick early fractions of :28.2 and :58.1 that they (the leaders) would
be coming back to me late in the mile,” Minore said after the race. “And that's
just what happened.
“When we headed for the
three quarters I moved my trotter to the outside and we began picking up
horses. Although I was still fifth on the final turn the front-end horses began
to tire and I was able to get the lead just before the wire.”
It was the first time Minore
drove Stayin Strong, who was win-less in 12 previous starts. The 5-year-old
Muscles Yankee gelding is owned by Adam Friedland and trained by Craig Mosher.
He paid $15.80; $6.10 and $4.20 across the board.
In the second split -race
nine- Minore was up behind Wygant Prince who was 2:00.3 winner in his last
start but a third place finish was all the veteran gelding could muster in an
action packed event dotted with breaking horses.
When the starter said “go”
Schwartz hustled his charge to the lead with Monica Banca and Brandos Muscle
Man on the limb challenging. As the two approached the first stanza Schwartz
grabbed leather and allowed Banca to take command and then immediately retook
the lead.
The two trotters raced
one-two past the half after Eyore Hanover (David Glasser) Tim Lizzi (Bob Davis)
and Here Comes Numbers (Jennifer Lappe) all went off-stride.
As the leaders headed into
the final turn Tony Verruso, who was saving all the ground while traveling
along the pylons with Gifted Way, decided to move for the lead on the turn but
unfortunately his charge went off-stride which undoubtedly cost them the race.
Although the aforementioned
happened behind Schwartz who was cutting the mile, he remained undeterred and
kept urging his trotter all the way to the wire. At the finish, Ladys Big
Stormont was one-length winner over Brandos Muscle Man. And as stated earlier
Wygant Prince took home he show dough.
“After the race I was told
that I had a lucky break when Gifted Way went off-stride, and maybe I did. But
when it was all over my horse got the biggest share of the purse,” Schwartz
related. :He's (my horse) not one to ever count out. After all, he won 12 races
last season and now has three wins already this year.”
The betting crowd was
certainly in Schwartz's corner as they sent Ladys Big Stormont off as the
odds-on favorite in the race. He is owned and trained by his driver and paid
just $3.30 for win.
On Friday, May 3 the eighth
leg of the NAADA series will again be contested at Yonkers Raceway
