Anthony Verruso blew the competition away and Mike Polansky powered forward to win their respective $10,417 trotting divisions for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Verruso won in the first division with a furious charge by his own trotter Winneress (pictured above) to score by open lengths in 1:59.3.
Winneress sat seventh to a :28.4 first quarter carved out by Trump This (Tony Beltrami), but angled outside to catch cover from Awol Hanover (Steven Reisenweaver) as the field raced strung out to a :58.4 half. Awol Hanover eventually found room to tuck to the cones, leaving Winneress to venture forward uncovered after Trump This on the march to three-quarters in 1:29.2. Winneress made steady gains on Trump This and soon easily blew by to the lead spinning for home. Verruso and Winneress continued widening their advantage through the lane until crossing the beam 6-3/4 lengths to the good over pocket-popper Lil Day Drinkin (Mickey Goldin). Masster Blue (John Calabrese) rallied for third.
Veronica Spicer trains Winneress, a 10-year-old gelding by Credit Winner who paid $7 to win.
Polansky took the lead past the half with My Big Kadillac and put away the field to post a 2:01 win in the second AHDC race.
My Big Kadillac landed in fourth to a :29.4 first quarter behind a battle between Bangin In The Hall (Robert Krivelin) and Jessies Outlawed (Pearly Allen) for the lead. Jessies Outlawed took over control, but faced a swift challenge from My Big Kadillac moving to a 1:00.4 half and yielded the lead. My Big Kadillac soon scampered away from the competition in the backside, opening up three lengths to three-quarters in 1:30.3 and maintaining his advantage through the homestretch to register a 3-1/4-length win. Bangin In The Hall took second from Jessies Outlawed.
Polansky also owns and trains My Big Kadillac. The 10-year-old gelding by Kadabra paid $10 to win.
AHDC action for the club’s fall trotting series resumes next Saturday, Nov. 2 at Freehold. First-race post time is 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from AHDC)