Andrew Adamczyk and Joe Lee both rallied to wins by the scantest of margins in their respective $18,194 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Trots at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday, Aug. 7.
Adamczyk opened the card with a 5-1 score by Star Hairdresser (pictured above) in a 1:58.3 mile. Star Hairdresser sat last of the in-contact field as Muskingum (driven by Yogi Sheridan) slowed into the backstretch and divided the race into separate fields. Muscle Dan (Tony Ciuffetelli) fronted the three-horse breakaway and cut a clip of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:27.2 before facing confrontation from pocket-popping 3-5 chalk Swiss House Onfire (Scott Keppler). Star Hairdresser tracked the favourite’s move through the turn and swung wide for the stretch drive, successfully collaring the public's choice in the lane to register a nose win. Muscle Dan settled for third while Muskingum took fourth.
Adamczyk trains Star Hairdresser, a four-year-old gelding by Cantab Hall, for owners Steven Moore and Alissa Smith. He paid $13.60 to win.
Joe Lee swooped from near last with a rush to bag the second NAADA Trot with Papa Doc in a 2:00.4 mile. Lee sat off an early battle between Los Ballykeelamigo (Yogi Sheridan) and Impressive Dude (Joe Faraldo), where Los Ballykeelamigo charged from post eight for the lead while then facing pressure from Impressive Dude through a :29.2 first quarter and :59.3 half. Meanwhile Lee angled from the pylons and readied a three-wide move through the turn. Los Ballykeelamigo attempted to scamper clear of rivals to three-quarters in 1:29.3 but spun for home drifting from the pylons and on fumes. Lee found a split inside of rivals with Papa Doc in the stretch to score a neck win over favourite Creative Venture (Tony Beltrami), rallying down the centre of the track, in second. Itsoneofthose (Adamczyk) took third and Los Ballykeelamigo faded to fourth.
Mark Ford trains Papa Doc, a six-year-old gelding by Wishing Stone, for owners George and Rose Bonomo. He paid $5.30 to win.
NAADA action resumes next Thursday (Aug. 14) at Yonkers Raceway with the eighth leg of the club’s summer trotting series. First-race post time at Yonkers is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).
(with files from NAADA)