Joe Faraldo and Peter Kleinhans fired for the lead and kept their competition chasing to take their respective $10,000 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Trots as part of a pair of non-wagering events at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (June 29).
In the first division, Joe Faraldo protected position from the pylon post with Grafenberg to grab the lead to a :28.4 first quarter and repel every subsequent challenger. Lionhead (driven by Robert Krivelin) parked past the quarter and marched towards the leader through a :59.1 half, but tired moving up the backstretch. Pocket-sitter Fashion Cantab (Anthony Verruso) then tried his hand at the leader and pounced to match strides past three-quarters in 1:28.4. Grafenberg held his ground to the inside through the final turn and regained the lead into the stretch, where he then pulled three lengths clear at the beam to stop the clock in 1:59.3. Lionhead finished third and Mats Palema (Tony Beltrami) was fourth.
Scott Di Domenico trains Grafenberg, a five-year-old gelding by Triumphant Caviar. The gelding races for owner Triple D Stables Inc.
Peter Kleinhans powered Elegant Dulupin FR to the lead moving into the second turn and stayed firm on the point to clock a 1:59.4 victory. Reel Em In (Robert Ciavardini) parked Elegant Dulupin FR past the quarter before settling for the pocket while Drazzmatazz (Rober Krivelin) remained a threat along the rim moving to a :59 half. Drazzmatazz pressed forward up the backside to draw within two lengths of the leader heading to three-quarters in 1:29.3, but began to tire through the final turn. Elegant Dulupin FR carried his speed through the lane to win with ease by 1-1/4 lengths from Reel Em In with Winneress (Anthony Verruso) riding the pylons for third and Judge Ken (Jacob Stillwell) closing for fourth.
John McDermott trains Elegant Dulupin FR, an imported nine-year-old gelding by Jasmin De Flore. He races for owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Justin Bolasci and Hurrikane Racing LLC.
NAADA action is slated to continue on Wednesday, July 5 at Monticello Raceway for the sixth leg of its Summer Series. First-race post time at Monticello is 12:10 p.m. (EDT).
(NAADA)