Good things have been coming in multiples recently for members of the Freehold Raceway driving colony. Eric Abbatiello won five races on the card Saturday (December 12), making this the sixth straight day a driver has won at least four races.
Abbatiello got his first winner of the day in Race 3, guiding Black Dan to victory for trainer Dave Wiskow. He gave Albert A Scootin a great pocket-sitting trip in the sixth race, for trainer John Bavosi. He got the hat trick on 20/1 shot Sword ofthe Spirit in Race 10 for trainer Lewis Nunes, and completed the grand slam with front-running Natural Leda in Race 11. Mike Russo was the winning trainer. Abbatiello capped his big day in the 12th race, as Brass Monkey went gate-to-wire for trainer Randy Taft.
Abbatiello's big day puts him in the thick of the driving race, with four days left in the 2020 Freehold season. He now has 66 wins on the meet, putting him in a tie for second with Vinny Ginsburg. Austin Siegelman leads the way, with 71 victories.
Live harness racing resumes at Freehold on Friday (December 18), with a listed first post time of 12:30 p.m. There will be a pair of carryovers on the card: the early pick 4 has a carryover of $1,515.96, while the pick 5 has a carryover of $736.43.
TONY VERRUSO WINS AHDC TROT AT FREEHOLD WITH DRAZZMATAZ
When you're hot you're hot and Tony Verruso is just that. The talented amateur driver, who doubles as the president of the Billings Series, won for the fourth time in his last seven trips to post when he guided Drazzmatazz to a come-from-behind 1:59 victory in the $9,000 American Harness Drivers Club Trot on Saturday (Dec. 12) at Freehold Raceway.
“We got a little lucky when the 1-5 shot (Archibald) made a break before the start but we got a good trip trip along the way, “Verruso said when contacted by phone after the race.” We were fortunate to have cover all the way to the top of the stretch and my horse finished strong.”
Pearly Allen and If I Must led the field by the quarter in a stiff :28.3, and he kept his foot on the gas to front the field through a :58.2 half. Drazzmatazz got away fifth and Verruso moved him second-over at the half behind cover provided by Wygant Prince (Paul Minore).
If I Must still showed the way by the three-quarters in 1:28.2 but in the lane he couldn't hold off a charging Drazzmatazz when Verruso moved from behind cover at the head of the stretch and they rallied to a length victory in 1:59 over If I Must. Coco Hall, driven by Dr. Scott Woogen, finished third.
Despite having three wins in this series Drazzmatazz was sent off at odds of over 12-1 and paid $27.00 for win. The seven-year-old altered son of RC Royalty is owned by Danbry Racing and trained by Vincent Stallworth.
(Freehold / AHDC)