Two short fields in the second leg of the North American Amateur Drivers Fall Trotting Series went postward at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday evening, and when the judges hung the official signs Dave Offenberg and Joe Lee each reined winners in their respective $6,000 divisions.
Offenberg copped his split with Fiji in 1:59.4 while Lee and Soul Train were first under the wire in their 1:59.2 clocked mile.
With only four horses in the first division Offenberg was content to allow Paul Minore and his old War Horse ,Wygant Prince , zip the lead and cut the early fractions in the non-betting affair.
Not content to follow the leader Offenberg moved to the outside and the two raced side-by-side past the half and by the third stanza and it wasn't until mid-stretch that Fiji gained command but it was still a battle to the wire and at the finish Fiji was a neck winner over Wygant Prince. Third place went to Tough Get Going in rein to Joe Faraldo.
Fiji is owned by the Allister Stable and trained by Eric Abbatiello, For Offenberg, it was his third seasonal driving victory and 54th of his amateur career.
In the other split, also a non-wagering affair, Lee had a similar journey with Soul Train when he got away second behind Monica Banca and Master of Excuses and stalked her the entire mile. On the final turn Lee moved off the pylons and he rallied the veteran gelding to a 2-1/2 length triumph over Banca's charge. Traverse Seelster garnered the show dough for Tony Ciuffetelli.
Soul Train, a seven-year old gelding by Trainforthefuture, won for the fifth time this year. He is trained by Jose Godinez. For Joe Lee, last year's Amateur Driver of the Year, it was his eighth winning drive this season.
(NAADA)