Monticello, NY — A short five-horse field assembled for the first race at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon (Nov. 14), a $5,000 North American Amateur Driving Association trotting event won by Bob Hechkoff and Five Towns.

Hechkoff immediately sent Five Towns to the lead, and they led Ladys Big Stormont and driver Alan Schwartz by the first quarter in a soft :29.4. In hot pursuit of the leaders were Muzzy’s Muscles (Joe Faraldo), Cheeky Little Miss (Tony Verruso) and ER Shane (Joe Lee).

Once the horses passed the by the first quarter, the order never changed as Five Towns showed the way to the finish line to score a 2:00.3 triumph. Ladys Big Stormont was second and Muzzys Muscles took home the show dough.

“It’s certainly an oddity when the horses finish in the exact order that they lined up after the start,” acknowledged NAADA president Joe Faraldo. “Obviously the short field played a part.”

Sent off as the favorite in the race, Five Towns, a 10-year-old Andover Hall gelding, notched his eighth seasonal victory and paid a paltry $3.50 to win. He is owned by RBH Ventures and Spagnola Racing LLC and trained by Kyle Spagnola.