Two divisions of amateur trots in the North American Amateur Drivers Series went to post tonight at Yonkers Raceway with Jake Stillwell winning the betting event with 44-1 shot Dark Poole while Joe Lee copped the non-wagering split with foreign-bred Ursis Des Caillons.
In the wagering contest Possess The Stone and Tony Beltami vaulted to the lead at the start but in doing so they not only left Joe Faraldo and Madhatter Blue Chip on the limb in a :27.3 first stanza but the two battled heads apart past the half in :57 and were still one-two as the trotted by the three quarters in 1:27.4.
Meanwhile Jake Stillwell and the eventual winner Dark Poole languished at the back of the pack and never really got underway until the leaders came back to him after the rapid early fractions began to take hold.
While Stillwell and Faraldo kept sparring Matt Zuccarello and Stealing were enjoying a two-hole trip and when the leaders turned for home Stealing appeared to be the strong horse. But in mid-stretch Dark Poole came calling and he trotted by Stealing and was a neck at the finish in the 1:59.1 trotted mile. Amazingly Possess The Stone was in the win photo but had to settle for third money.
Dark Poole, sent way as the longest shot on the board, paid $90.00 to win. He is owned by Barry Franklin trained by Paul Fusco.
Before the betting card got underway a five-horse field battled in the NAADA non-wagering contest and when the judges hung the official sign foreign-bred Ursis Des Caillons and Joe Lee eked out a nose victory over Checkmate Hill and Matt Zuccarello in the 2:00.1 trotted mile.
With the short field and without challenges Zuccarello showed the way with even fractions of :29.2, 1:00 and 1:29.4 before Lee and his French-bred trotter came calling and the two raced eyeball to eye ball down the stretch with Ursis Des Caillons getting up in the final strides to score a nose victory in 2:00.1 Dave Offenberg garnered the show dough with Figi.
The winner is owned by Fox Racing Inc and trained by Carmen Auciello.
(NAADA)