Mike Polansky and Steven Reisenweaver drove their own trotters and both braved through the mug and over the “sloppy” going to post front-stepping victories in their respective $10,135 divisions for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Freehold Raceway.
Polansky delivered My Big Kadillac (pictured above), a 10-year-old gelding by Kadabra, to a slight 6-1 surprise in a 1:59.2 mile in the first division. He grabbed the lead with My Big Kadillac out of post five to a :28.4 first quarter and faced little pressure to a :59.1 half. Lionhead (Yogi Sheridan) angled first-over from fourth moving for the backstretch and inched forward moving to three-quarters in 1:29.2, though quickly levelled entering the final turn. My Big Kadillac spun for home then with just a challenge from pocket-riding Ghibli (Anthony Verruso), who pushed but could not down the leader late and settled for second, beaten three-quarters of a length. My Big Kadillac paid $14.20 to win. Hunters Gal (Paul Minore), the 2-1 favourite, saved ground to take third and Lionhead held fourth.
Reisenweaver posted a stouter upset in the second division when romping with 10-1 shot Awol Hanover in 2:00.3. Reisenweaver and the 10-year-old gelding by Donato Hanover parked 2-1 favourite Bacardi (Yogi Sheridan) after a :30 first quarter, and the pair stayed in mild battle to a 1:01 half. Awol Hanover began peeling away from Bacardi up the backside and clicked by three-quarters in 1:30.3 with no other challengers looming. Bacardi remained even from the wide trip on the turn for home and fought only with the rest of the field while Awol Hanover fled the scene to a 4-3/4-length win, returning $23.60 to his backers at the betting windows. Masster Blue (Paul Minore) followed Bacardi’s cover but settled for third and Archibald (Anthony Verruso) went from third-over for fourth.
The AHDC Fall Trotting Series shifts back to Pocono Downs next Saturday, Oct. 5. First-race post time at Pocono is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from AHDC)