John Calabrese took the early initiative with his pupil Shoemaker Hanover to score in the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s return to Yonkers Raceway in a $10,000 non-betting event on Thursday (April 20).

Leaving from post two, Shoemaker Hanover circled to lead Kashas Boy (driven by Alan Schwartz) after a first quarter in :28.4. He was left unchallenged to a :58 half and braced for pressure up the backside.

That pressure came from Dark Pool (Tony Beltrami), who pulled off the pegs from third to the backstretch and crept closer to the tempo-setter to three-quarters in 1:27.1. Shoemaker Hanover maintained authority through the turn and in the stretch, despite Dark Pool pushing closer, to win by a half length in 1:57.3. Dark Pool settled for second with Kashas Boy taking third and Wicked Nick (Michelle Crawford) snagging fourth.

Shoemaker Hanover, a 10-year-old stallion by Cantab Hall, competes for owners Calabrese Farms LLC and Michelle Rickey.

NAADA action is slated to return next Thursday, April 27 to Yonkers Raceway. First-race post time at Yonkers is 7 p.m. (EDT).

(NAADA)