Rob Krivelin and Alan Schwartz fired down the road to take their respective $10,000 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Trots at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (June 15).
In the first division, Krivelin cleared to the top with Drazzmatazz to a :29.1 first quarter and pocketed slight 9-5 favourite Uncle Kip (driven by Alan Schwartz). Drazzmatazz snagged a breather to a 1:00.2 half and accelerated up the backstretch to gain separation to three-quarters in 1:30.1. Opening a cushion coming for home, Drazzmatazz held a strong-enough advantage to hold the lead to the finish of a 2:01 mile over a fast-closing Fashion Cantab (Anthony Verruso), who recovered from a break past the quarter to take second. Finnick Odair (Tony Beltrami) came from off cover for third while Grafenberg (Joe Faraldo) gave chase in fourth.
Terry Morgan conditions Drazzmatazz, a 10-year-old gelding by RC Royalty, for owner Danbry Racing Inc. Sent off as the second favourite, he paid $5.90 to win.
Schwartz applied similar front-stepping tactics with his pupil Raceace and dusted his rivals in the other division in 2:00.4.
Raceace landed on the helm from post five to a :28.4 first quarter with Call Me Thefireman (Anthony Verruso) sitting second and Turbochargedpete (Joe Faraldo) third. And gradually, Raceace peeled clear from his peers through middle fractions of :59.2 and 1:29.4. He expanded his advantage to four lengths to the final turn and widened it through the lane to win by 5-3/4 lengths over Jumpshot (Joe Lee), who pushed first over to take second. Reel Em In (Robert Ciavardini) followed his move on the rim to take third and Grafenberg grabbed fourth.
Alan Schwartz trains and owns Raceace, a seven-year-old gelding by Yankee Glide. He paid $4.80 to win.
NAADA action is slated to continue on Wednesday (June 21) for the fourth preliminary at Monticello Raceway. First-race post time at Monticello is 12:10 p.m. (EDT).
(NAADA)