Two trotting divisions in the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association Series were contested at the home of the Little Brown Jug in Delaware, Ohio on Sunday (Sept. 20).
When both race were declared official, Alesha Binkley and Daniel Jones each emerged victorious from their respective splits. Binkley won with odds-on favourite Hititputofthepark in 1:57.1, while Jones was victorious with Dont Forget Muscle in 1:58.4.
Both trotters were victorious after starting from the coveted pole position.
A seasoned veteran even at her young age, Binkley knows that if one has the best horse in the race the place to be is on the front end. And that's exactly where she put her trotter and once on top they controlled the race.
Hititoutofthepark sped by the first stanza in :28.4 and by the half in :57.4. From there Binley played catch-me-if-you can and nobody could as the seven-year-old Yankee Glide ridgling cruised to an oh-so-easy, five and three-quarter-length victory in 1:57.1 over Favorite Uncle and driver Bob Troyer. Fleet Cessna garnered the show dough for Billy Muggleston.
Hititoutofthepark is owned by the Trent Stohler Stable along with Ben and Tim Graber and trained by Stohler. He paid $3.00 for win.
A second division followed and saw driver Daniel Jones notch his second consecutive GLADA triumph this time winning with Dont Forget Muscle in 1:58.4. But unlike Binkley's triumph Jones came from off the pace.
When the gate sprung Jones allowed Eddie Miller and Star Chip to gain command and with two trotters hung on the limb from the get-go Dont Forget Muscle ended up with a two-hole journey. However when Star Chip's stride shortened as he trotted around the final turn it allowed Jones' charge to get first call, a position Dont Forget Muscle held all the way to the wire. The veteran trotter held off a late rally by A Royal Line, with Steve Oldford at the controls. Third place in the tight three-horse photo went to Stormont Wizard, who was driven by Ron Cusimano.
The winner, owned by Robert Beachy, is trained by Jones. He returned a $21.60 win mutuel.
(Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association)