Andrew Adamczyk zipped off a pocket ride with Call Me Thefireman and spurted clear to a 2:01.2 victory in the $15,000 North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Fall Trotting Series final on Thursday, Nov. 9 at Yonkers Raceway.
Leaving from post two, Call Me Thefireman shot for the lead and sparred for control with By A Hoff Hanover (Joe Lee) through a :29 first quarter. Adamczyk relinquished control to By A Hoff Hanover and he strolled to a :59.1 half under minimal pressure.
By A Hoff Hanover remained in control to the backstretch while Lionhead (Yogi Sheridan), parked from the start, began floundering on the rim with Stravinsky (James Slendorn) and Fair Glider (Robert Ciavardini) caught behind weakening cover. Lee began calling upon By A Hoff Hanover coming to three-quarters in 1:30 as Adamczyk and Call Me Thefireman slid out of a tight pocket to attack. Call Me Thefireman kicked to the lead spinning around the final turn and coasted through the lane to a 2-1/4-length victory as the third choice in the betting. Turbochargedpete (Joe Faraldo), the 8-5 favourite, wove through traffic to take second with Lionhead third and Judge Ken (Jacob Stillwell) fourth.
Adamczyk conditions Call Me Thefireman, a seven-year-old gelding by Wishing Stone, for owner Anthony Verruso. He paid $10.40 to win.
Favourites found tough sledding on Thursday night at MGM Yonkers Raceway, including a winless streak in the Pick 5 sequence. As a result, Friday night's Pick 5 will have a $4,534.89 carryover and a $15,000 guaranteed pool.
The guarantee in the Pick 5 is being offered as part of the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program. Free past performances for the Pick 5, courtesy of TrackMaster, will be available at the USTA website. The Pick 5, which begins in race five, has a takeout rate of 20 per cent.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is hosting live racing on Monday through Friday nights with post time at 7 p.m. but does have one schedule change this month as the track will only have programs the week of Thanksgiving on Monday, Nov. 20 and Tuesday, Nov. 21 before going dark Wednesday through Friday.
(NAADA / Yonkers Raceway)