Anthony Verruso and Yogi Sheridan scored matching front-stepping wins with their respective trotters in taking a pair of $12,329 divisions for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, May 18.
In the first division, Verruso sailed down stream with Call Me Thefireman to a 2:00.2 victory. Leaving from post two, Call Me Thefireman cleared the lead to a :29.3 first quarter while facing a first-over push from 9-5 favourite Dingle (Sheridan), who failed to find a seat at the cones and stayed stuck uncovered on the rim. Dingle continued to up the pressure on Call Me Thefireman through a 1:00.4 half and three-quarters in 1:30.4, but the overland journey proved too taxing on the spin for home. Call Me Thefireman turned into the stretch and edged away from Dingle to a 1-1/4-length win with Limerance (Dawn Anderson) riding the cones to take third and Target Practice (Seamus Quill) following suit in fourth.
Verruso owns the eight-year-old gelding by Wishing Stone while Symon Spicer handles the training duties. Call Me Thefireman paid $13.60 to win.
After finishing second with the chalk, Sheridan came back one race later to deliver with favoured Lionhead (pictured above) in 2:00.2. Sheridan grabbed the lead from post six past a :29.2 first quarter from Overserved (Ned Urbanski). Lionhead endured little challenge to a 1:00 half and three-quarters in 1:29.4 while maintaining his speed through the final turn. Holding a sizeable cushion rounding for home, Lionhead strode over the line to a length win while chased home by Winneress (Verruso) in second. Overserved faded to third and Masster Blue (Paul Minore) gave chase in fourth.
Terry Morgan owns and trains Lionhead, an eight-year-old gelding by Uncle Peter. He paid $5 to win.
AHDC action concludes for the Freehold season with the final on Saturday, May 25. First-race post time at Freehold is 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from AHDC)