Amateur racing was the order of the day at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon when a NAADA trot and a Billings trot were joined on the betting card by a pace in the GSY Series.
When the 10-race card was completed Dave Offenberg copped the NAADA trot with Fiji in a time of 2:00.4 while “Hurricane Hannah” Miller's Jacks To Open hung on for a head triumph in 2:00.1.
And making its first appearance at the Mighty M was a GSY Series pace which saw Monica Banca hustle Macherati to an easy 1:57 victory.
In the NAADA trot Offenberg's Fiji went an outstanding mile, never seeing the pylons and then rallying in the lane to a head victory over Joe Faraldo's Tough Get Going who cut all the early fractions. Cheeky Little Minx finished third for Joe Pennacchio.
“Being parked the entire mile is an auspicious way to win a race but I'll take it,” Offenberg said as he handed the lines to the horse’s caretaker. “When I couldn't make the top I just sat still out there on the limb and I was so pleasantly surprised that when we rounded the final turn Fiji was still on the bit and we got up in the final strides to collar Joe's horse.”
Owned by Offenberg's Allister Stables, Fiji a six-year-old altered son of Cantab Hall, trained by Eric Abbatiello, paid $4.80 for win.
“Hurricane Hannah” Miller, a former two time National Amateur Driver of the Year who recently only drives part-time, showed that she hasn't lost a step when she used the front-end route and late urging to score a tight victory over a hard-charging Broadway Bruiser and driver “Mighty Matt” Zuccarello. Third place went to Blazin Delores, driven by “Annie Get Your Gun” Stoebe.
“I had to use him a bit to make the front from the five-hole but once we passed the quarter in :29.1 we breezed through even fractions. But in the deep stretch his stride shortened and I had to get after him a bit and he responded and hung-on for a head victory,” Miller said referring to the mile that Jacks To Open went today.
Sent off as the favourite Jacks To Open, a nine-year-old Conway Hall gelding returned a $3.80 mutuel. He's owned by his driver and the Nick Surick Stable.
(NAADA / Billings Series)