by John Manzi for NAADA
.Yonkers, NY-- Two divisions of amateur trots in
the North American Amateur Drivers Series went to post tonight at Yonkers
Raceway with Jake Stillwell winning the betting event with 44-1 shot Dark Poole
while Joe Lee copped the non-wagering split with foreign-bred Ursis Des Caillons.
In the wagering contest Possess The Stone and Tony
Beltami vaulted to the lead at the start but in doing so they not only left Joe
Faraldo and Madhatter Blue Chip on the limb in a :27.3 first stanza but the two
battled heads apart past the half in :57 and were still one-two as the trotted
by the three quarters in 1:27.4.
Meanwhile Jake Stillwell and the eventual winner
Dark Poole languished at the back of the pack and never really got underway
until the leaders came back to him after the rapid early fractions began to
take hold.
While Stillwell and Faraldo kept sparring Matt
Zuccarello and Stealing were enjoying a two-hole trip and when the leaders
turned for home Stealing appeared to be the strong horse. But in mid-stretch
Dark Poole came calling and he trotted by Stealing and was a neck at the finish
in the 1:59.1 trotted mile. Amazingly Possess The Stone was in the win photo
but had to settle for third money.
Dark Poole, sent way as the longest shot on the
board, paid $90.00-- $27.60 and $11.00 across the board. He is owned by Barry
Franklin trained by Paul Fusco.
Before the betting card got underway a 5-horse
field battled in the the NAADA non-wagering contest and when the judges hung
the official sign foreign-bred Ursis Des Caillons and Joe Lee eeked out a nose
victory over Checkmate Hill and Matt Zuccarello in the 2:00.1 trotted mile.
With the short field and without challenges
Zuccarello showed the way with even fractions of :29.2—1:00- and 1:29.4 before
Lee and his French-bred trotter came calling and the two raced eyeball to eye
ball down the stretch with Ursis Des Caillons getting up in the final strides
to score a nose victory in 2:00.1 Dave Offenberg garnered the show dough with
Figi.
The winner is owned by Fox Racing Inc. and trained
by Carmen Auciello.
