There's an old adage that states 'when you're hot you're hot' and that expression could certainly apply to driver Tony Verruso.
On the Wednesday afternoon (June 23) card at Monticello Raceway, the veteran amateur driver reined Winneress to a 1:59.2 gate-to-wire win in the NAADA trot which was his ninth victory — to go along with seven seconds and seven thirds — in 29 seasonal starts which equates to a seasonal .521 UDR.
Sent the second choice in the eight-horse field, Verruso gunned his trotter to the lead from the pole position and they snagged a length-and-a-half lead on their competition as they trotted by the first quarter in :29.1.
With the rest of the field settling along the pylons, Verruso raced his trotter unchallenged by the half in :59.3. But as Winneress headed to the three-quarters, his stride had a momentarily slight hitch in his get-a-long.
“I scratched him last week because of a quarter crack and since then I had the blacksmith fit him with a bar shoe'” Verruso said. “In today's race it was a good thing that I had a steady hold on him up the backside because for a quick moment his stride was affected when he forged but I gathered him quickly and it was hard to notice that he skipped a beat.”
Still, with a two-length lead as the field rounded the final turn, it was apparent that Winneress was going to win despite a valiant effort from Stealing and driver Matt Zuccarello, who charged home second best. The betting favourite, Raceace, finished third for Alan Shwartz.
Winneress, a seven-year-old Credit Winner gelding, is owned by Verruso and trained by Symon Spicer.
He paid $5.70 for win.
Also on the Monti card was a short-field amateur pacing event, which went to Burning Desire in 1:58.3 He was driven by Matt Zuccarello. He paid $11.40 for win.
(NAADA)