Amateur driver Larry Ferrari began his 2024 season just as he wrapped up 2023 — with a win.

On New Year’s Eve eve, Dec. 30, Ferrari guided his wife’s So Wishfull to victory as the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) concluded its successful season at Northfield Park.

Kicking off the new season was no different as Ferrari picked up a catch-drive in the first GLADA event of 2024 and promptly won with the 13-year-old warhorse Wild And Crazy Guy for Braiden Rhoades, who trains for owner Timothy Poitinger.

On a wintry night for racing with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark and the sloppy track listed three seconds off, Ferrari sent Wild And Crazy Guy carefully off the wings and wended his way to the front just short of the :29 opener and led the rest of the way, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths in 2:00.4.

Brigitto slipped through along the pylons to be second for Henry Beachy while Deliciousstone DK was next for Lauren Harmon after looking the leader in the eye turning for home. Admiral Allstar was next for Edward Miller while Back Door Man picked up fifth for Floyd Rhodes.

In a post race-interview, Ferrari lamented, “The conditions weren’t exactly summer-like out there and the track was very tiring but Wild And Crazy Guy still has plenty of class and showed that tonight.”

Indeed, Wild And Crazy Guy now sports 61 career wins in 302 starts and, with this win, vaulted to $886,849 in earnings with many of his wins being “on the engine,” which “he seems to prefer,” said Ferrari.

For the winning driver Larry Ferrari, it was his 383rd career win — this after achieving his first .300 “batting average” (UDRS) last season since his first pari-mutuel drive in 1986.

Wild And Crazy Guy returned $3.80 to win to his many faithful.

The GLADA membership donates all earnings from driving in amateur races for charitable distribution to organizations benefiting retiring horses, their aftercare and retraining for second vocations and dozens of other worthy charities.

(GLADA)