Bob Hechkoff took no prisoners and sent Southwind Frost down the road for a 1:58.4 victory in the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (May 8) and in doing so kept his main competition out in the fresh air.
Hechkoff grabbed command when the gate sprung and then played hardball, keeping John Calabrese and Ooh Rah parked all the way, and the overland route took its toll. When they trotted side-by-side past the half Ooh Rah was all-in.
Up the backside Southwind Frost opened daylight on his competition, and when he trotted by the three quarters he was 3-1/2 lengths ahead of Masster Blue (Tony Verruso) who was second along the pylons the entire way. Southwind Frost held command all the way to the wire, with Masster Blue finishing second. Third place went to French Moni, driven by Paul Minore.
Two $8,000 non-betting trotting divisions for amateur drivers were presented tonight at Yonkers Raceway prior to the betting card getting underway and when the judges posted the results Tony Verruso had reined the winner in the first split and Dave Offenberg won the second.
Verruso, who s enjoying his finest year in the sulky, went wire to wire for a 1:58.1 triumph with Exarch in the first split while Offenberg aped that journey behind Fiji for a 1:59.1 triumph in the other.
Both races were presented prior to the betting card getting underway
In his split Verruso sent Exarch immediately to the lead and they had two lengths on a parked-out Raceace(Alan Schwartz) when they trotted by the first quarter in :28.3. Still on the limb the order remained the same when the trotters passed the half in :58.4.
Faraldo, Verruso AHDC Winners | Standardbred Canada standardbredcanada.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from standardbredcanada.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rather than accept a bye and guarantee himself two Dexter Cup final starters, Ake Svanstedt decided to let Incommunicado compete in Saturday s (April 24) Dexter Cup elimination at Freehold Raceway.
The gamble paid off, as Incommunicado cruised under the wire 2-3/4 lengths in front and established himself as one of the favourites for next week s Dexter Cup final.
When the entry box closed on Wednesday, ten horses were entered for the Dexter Cup. Svanstedt was offered two byes with his pair of Ambassador Hanover and Incommunicado, and while he accepted the bye with the former, he decided to race Incommunicado. The Massachusetts Sire Stakes champion was made the 8/5 second choice in the field of eight.
Exarch, Verruso Win NAADA Trot | Standardbred Canada standardbredcanada.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from standardbredcanada.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.