by John Manzi for NAADA
Monticello, NY-- On a
pleasant afternoon with the sun peeking through the clouds and the temperature
hovering in the mid-50's the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA)
kicked off its 37th season with a trot at Monticello Raceway and
when the judges hung the official sign Joe Lee was victorious after he guided
Soul Train to an easy triumph in a 2:00 clocking.
After getting away with a
slow start from the four-hole Lee was content to follow the leaders in the
early going before he moved his charge off the pylons and then rallied to the
lead which was theirs as the field trotted by the half mile marker in :59.
“I felt I had the best horse
so I didn't want to follow the leaders and after we passed the quarter pole I
moved “Soul” off the pylons and headed for the lead,” Lee explained.
Sent off the odds-on
favorite, Soul Train opened up daylight on the field and led Wygant Prince
(Paul Minore) by the half way point in:59 and were still in command as they
passed the third stanza in 1:29.
After sitting in the
cat-birds seat Brandos Muscle Man, with Peter Kleinhans at the controls, made
their run at the leader as the field straightened for home . Although they
trotted by Wygant Prince they came up short and had to settle for second money,
1-1/2 lengths behind Soul Train.
Joe Lee, who during the
major league baseball season is the New York Yankee's assistant clubhouse
manager, was thrilled with his trotter's performance today.
“He's such a pleasure to
drive, Nothing fazes him and he's so handy. If you want to leave just ask him
or if you need to find a hole he's responsive,” Lee said of Soul Train. “An old
veteran (a $410,000 career winner) he knows just what to do.”
Lee co-owns the 8-year old
altered son of Trainforthefuture with Blindswitch Racing, Good Friends Stable
and Santo Farina. He paid $2.80 for win.
The next (second) leg of this NAADA
trotting series will take place at Yonkers Raceway next Thursday, May 24.
