Two $9,000 divisions in the American Harness Drivers Club Trotting Series went to post on Saturday (Sept. 3) at Freehold Raceway with Dark Pool (Tony Beltrami) and Foxy Trottin Stick (Dave Offenberg) emerging victorious in their respective splits.
In the first division, Beltrami and Dark Pool got away slowly from post seven and picked up cover behind a parked-out Fiji (Dave Offenberg) as Call Me Thefireman (Tony Verruso) showed the way by the quarter :29.2 and the half in 1:00. All was well for Dark Pool as he followed cover past the three-quarters in 1:31 and at the top of the lane, he darted up the inside to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Verruso's charge in 2:02. My Big Kadillac (Mike Polansky) finished third.
Beltrami shares ownership of Dark Pool with trainer Paul Fusco. He paid $8.20 for the win.
In the other division, Offenberg and Foxy Trotting Stick got away slowly and was fifth at the quarter in :28.4 as Winneress (Verruso) showed the way by the quarter in :28.4 with Jekyil N Hyde (Nicole Discostanzo) parked on the limb. But Jekyil N Hyde got first call at the half in :59.3 before fading to oblivion. The race had another leader at the three-quarters in the presence of Shoemaker Hanover (John Calabrese), who showed the way by that stanza in 1:29.1, but in the lane he tired and was overtaken by Offenberg's Foxy Trottin Stick, who finished a 2-1/2 length winner in the 1:59.2 mile. J A T O (Beltrami) rallied for second money as Shoemaker Hanover faded and finished third.
Offenberg owns the winner, who is trained by Eric Abbatiello. He paid $9.60 for the win.
(With files from American Harness Drivers Club)