Saturday afternoon (October 17) was a big day for driver Dan Dube, as he won both two-year-old pacing stakes on the card.
The big one came in the New Jersey Sire Stakes - Standardbred Development Fund Final for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers. He guided Bill MacKenzie-trained Captain Fancy to a 3-1/2 length win as the favourite. He had it rough early on, battling for the early lead with a host of rivals and getting double-parked. After the quarter, he dropped into the pocket, then made a bold first-over move to the lead after the half. From there, he drew off to a handy win.
He paced the mile in 1:56, for owners Vincent Ali, Alma Iafelice, and Ted Gewertz. In his career, Captain Fancy has now earned more than $70,000, with three wins from seven races.
Dube also won the second leg of the NJSS-SDF for two-year-old filly pacers, with In High Cotton. He retook the lead with his filly after the quarter, and never gave up the lead thereafter, winning by 2-1/2 lengths. In High Cotton paced the mile in 1:56.4, for owners Kelly Hoerdt and Blair and Erna Corbeil, and trainer Ron Coyne.
Dube also won the eighth race on Drinkin Again, for owner/trainer Phil Jasper.
ZUCCARELLO; FARALDO, COMBINE FOR A $1,017.40 EXACTA
It was bombs away in the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 17) when “Mighty Matt” Zuccarello hustled 47-1 Latoka up the inside to collar “Smokin' Joe” Faraldo and 30-1 Tough Get Going. Together the trotters produced a whopping $1,017.40 exacta, one of the biggest in recent memories in amateur racing. The third place finish by Wygant Prince, with “Coach Paul” Minore at the controls, produced a near record $3,813.80 trifecta.
When the gate sprung Minore sent his veteran trotter to the lead as Faraldo ducked in the two-hole, a place where he stayed until the stretch drive.
In the meantime Minore played hardball with Marianna Monaco who had her Awol Hanover challenging for the lead from the six-hole in the :29.2 first quarter. But with Minore's insistence Awol Hanover never was able to drop down along the pylons as the trotters raced one-two all the way to the final turn.
With Wygant Prince showing the way and Tough Get Going following, Faraldo was content with the way the race was breaking for him.
“I moved Tough Get Going to the outside and when we rounded the final we had the lead and I thought we were going to win it,” Faraldo said.”I was eyeing Wygant Prince and I knew we had him beat.”
Faraldo was right, but his trotter drifted in the deep stretch which permitted Zuccarello and Latoka, who was fifth at the head of the lane, with a clear path to the finish line now that they were down along the pylons. With daylight the veteran nine-year-old Groton Hall gelding kicked it into another gear and collared the leader for a head victory over Tough Get Going in 2:01.1.
For Zuccarello, who doubles as the publicist for the GSY Amateur Series, it was his first seasonal driving victory and the 17th of his career. The winner is owned and trained by Donald Maiorano.
Live harness racing resumes at Freehold on Friday, starting at 12:30 p.m. There will be a double pick 5 carryover, starting in race 5, worth $2,025.
(Freehold / American Harness Drivers Club)