While several members of the North American Amateur Drivers Association were at Saratoga Raceway competing against the group of visiting Hungarians on April 19, seven members of NAADA convened at Yonkers Raceway for the sixth leg of the current spring trotting series.
And for the second time in three weeks, Paul Minore and his old warhorse Wygant Prince emerged victorious.
After starting from the pole position Minore was content to allow Brandos Muscle Man (Monica Banca) to take command on the first turn and then play follow the leader as Banca and her trotter passed the first stanza in a soft :29.3. Noticing that the pace was getting even slower, Joe Faraldo moved Tough Get Going to the outside to hurry the leader as Minore sat still in the catbird's seat.
With Minore content where he was Faraldo and his trotter kept marching forward, battling with Brandos Muscle Man before finally overtaking him coming off the final turn. That duo had to prepare for a stiff challenge from Wygant Prince, who had enjoyed cover all the way.
“I finally cleared Monica's trotter as we headed for home but Wygant Prince was fresh and we battled all the way to the wire,” Faraldo recalled. “I thought we were going to win it but my horse tired a bit in the final strides after being out a long way and Paul's horse was fresh and stronger having never moved until the end of the mile. When the (finish line) camera clicked I was a head short and Paul got all the money.”
Brandos Muscle Man hung on for a third place finish.
Wygant Prince is owned by Minore and trained by Taylor Gower.
Next up in the NAADA trotting series is the seventh leg at Monticello Raceway on Thursday, April 26.
Now with their series against the Hungarians completed, NAADA is preparing for the visiting Spaniards in late May. That group will be the second of four European amateur organizations which will be hosted by the USA this year.
(with files from NAADA)