After a false start last week the 2021 season of amateur racing in the North American Amateur Drivers Series started in earnest when non-wagering two divisions of trotters went to post at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night with surprising resultswhen the second $8,000 division ended in a rare dead-heat when Stealing and Matt Zuccarello, and Fiji and Dave Offenberg, hit the finish line simultaneously in 2:01.

The first $8,000 split saw Joe Pennacchio and Keystone Blade make every pole a winning one en route to 1:58.3 triumph.

After starting from pole position in his heat Pennacchio took command and led If I Must (Paul Minore) by the quarter in :28.4 and then had to contend with Ladys Big Stormont (Alan Schwartz) and John Calabrese's Dark Pool. But neither wrested command from “Joltin' Joe” as his Keystone Blade was well in hand and led all comers by the third stanza in1:28. Through the stretch, Pennacchio’s charge was the one to beat and no one could as the veteran Yankee Glide eight-year-old cruised home a length and a half winner over Dark Pool. Ladys Big Stormont garnered the show dough.

The winner is owned by Joe P Racing and trained by Cory Stratton.

In the second split, Bob Hechkoff showed the early way with Pound Sterling after Fiji and Dave Offenberg ended their charge for the lead and settled in second behind him after a :29.1 opening quarter
Meanwhile, Zuccarello moved from fifth at the quarter and went three deep to range alongside Pound Sterling as the field headed into the homestretch. Still Pound Sterling had command and braced for late charges from Stealing and Fiji. In the deep stretch Zuccarello's trotter surged his neck in front and was joined by Offenberg's Fiji and when the photo-finish camera snapped to two couldn't be separated resulting in a rare amateur racing dead-heat for win. Exarch, driven by Tony Verruso, gained third money

Stealing is owned by Winners Circle Racing, Latz A Buck Stable, John Campagnuolo and trained by John Grasso. Fiji, who notched his second win in a row, is owned by Offenberg's Allister Stable and trained by Noel Daley.

(NAADA)