by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Beginning on Thursday (Oct. 17), the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s three-track Fall Trotting Series will kick-off with a $4,000 event at Monticello Raceway, followed by contests at both Yonkers and Freehold raceways.

The series will culminate with a $14,000 final at Yonkers on Dec. 19.

Besides the Oct. 17 date at Monticello, there will also be two other $4,000 preliminary legs there — Oct. 31 and Dec. 6 — while the Yonkers prelims are slated for the Thursdays of Nov. 7, Nov. 21 and Dec. 12 for purses of $6,000.

The Freehold Raceway legs will be contested on the Fridays of Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 and will go for $5,000 purses.

A $4000 Series consolation is carded for Thursday (Dec. 19) at Monticello.

Although there are criteria for the competing trotters, like the Billings Series, only the amateur drivers can be nominated to the NAADA Trotting Series and all entrants must be members of NAADA. Drivers can participate in only one division of each leg of the series. The drivers with the most points in the series will be eligible to compete in the final.

Horses that are eligible must be 3-years-old and up that had six or more starts in 2012-13 and are non-winners of $6,001 in their last six starts and are non-winners of $2,001 per start. Also eligible are trotters with a base claiming price of $15,000.

Drivers participating will be assessed a $50 starting fee in the preliminaries and a $100 starting fee in the series final. Entry fee checks must be payable to NAADA.

A part of the driver’s percentages and a portion of the total starting fees will be added to the donation which will be made to a charitable foundation at the end of the series.

The European Pont System will be used in the series and the top eight point-earners will be eligible for the final.

The series is open to 2013 paid up members of NAADA. Membership fee is $150 per calendar year.

For the entire series conditions, or for further information, please contact Joe Faraldo at 718.544.6800 or Alan Schwartz at 845.292.8128.