Despite not having won a race this season, P C Foreign Affair was sent away as the favourite in the NAADA Trot at Monticello Raceway Wednesday afternoon (June 16) — and he didn't let his backers down.
After a slow start, where driver Joe Pennacchio had his hands full as his trotter didn't hit a perfect stride when the race began, it wasn't until the first turn that P C Foreign Affair settled down to a smooth gait.
“He was choppy at the start, and I had all I could do to keep him from running,” Pennacchio said. “I had a steady hold on him, and though we got away badly from the pole position, once he flattened out, he was steady as a rock.”
P C Foreign Affair was near the back of the pack as Joe Lee had Railee Workable unchallenged on the lead through a :29.3 first quarter and a 1:00.2 half. Now steadily on gait, PC Foreign Affair moved off the pylons and marched forward while still in fourth. But as the field headed up the backside, Railee Workable braced for challenges — first from Katkin And Coke (Chrs Petrelli), and then from PC Foreign Affair. At the three quarters Railee Workable had drawn a crowd.
When the field rounded the final turn, Matt Zuccarello moved Stealing off the pylons and had him in high gear. They were quickly joined by Raceace (Alan Schwartz), and in deep stretch, four horses were noses apart nearing the finish line.
P C Foreign Affair proved a head better than Stealing, with Raceace and Railee Workable also in the picture. All four horses were timed in 2:01.
“We got away badly and, though my horse kept hitting the bike throughout the mile, he never missed a beat and kept on trotting. And even when I got after him in the deep stretch, he was steady,” Pennacchio said.
The eight-year-old Cornaro Dasolo gelding is owned by Joe P Racing LLC and trained by Cory Stratton. He paid $4.90 to win.
(NAADA)