Back at Yonkers Raceway tonight the NAADA Trotting Series was the second race on the betting card and Dave Offenberg was not deterred by the sloppy racetrack.
The long-time owner of prominent racing stock certainly took care of business when he fired Fiji to the front when the starter said go and then raced away and hid from his competition.
After starting from the pole position by the time Fiji passed the first stanza he had a six-length lead on the Joe Faraldo-guided Tough Get Going making it the third consecutive season that Offenberg and his trusty steed were victorious over the famed New York double-oval.
“He was exceptionally good tonight,” Offenberg related via telephone after the race. "I tapped him a couple of times and he really took off."
“After Fiji trotted by the quarter in :27.4 I was just a passenger, “ Offenberg said.
When they passed the half mile marker in :56.4 they were nine- lengths to the good and sill eight on top when they headed for home.
“I tried to slow him down but it wasn't gonna happen,” Offenberg admitted. “So I finally relaxed on the lines and enjoyed the ride. We won the race by 7-1/2 lengths over Faraldo's trotter in 1:58.2.”
It marked the third consecutive season that Offenberg and Fiji were victorious at Yonkers Raceway.
Owned by Offenberg's Allister Stables and trained by Eric Abbatiello Fiji paid $6.70 for win.
(NAADA)