Monticello, NY – The amateur pacers took the GSY Series north to Monticello, NY and raced over the half mile oval.  The track condition was updated to good at the time of the race and even though the new venue went from a mile to a half mile, one thing didn’t change, a speed duel.

GSY Series President David Yarock, left hard from the rail aboard Sammy B Happy and wasn’t letting anyone get in front of him.  He parked challenger Burning Desire, with Alexandria Chadbourne, to the quarter in a swift :28 seconds flat.

She was followed on the outer rim by Joe Lee, driving Zone Blitz, who was parked for the entire mile but with cover.  These two battled stride for stride for three quarters of a mile and that finally took its toll on both horses.

At one point in the race, there were four in and four out before the half mile pole.  This set up the closers to come but the only one who could get by Yarock in the end was pocket-sitter Northern Assassin A, driven to victory by newcomer to the GSY Series, Christopher Petrelli.

He was able to win by just over a length and the mile was timed in 1:59.4.  Petrelli also won the first leg of the Catskill Amateur event the race before driving post time favorite Ideal Candidate to a half-length victory for a driving double.

He was heard in the dressing room saying he needed a new helmet because the one he was wearing didn’t fit any longer.  He paid a handsome $22.40 win mutuel for all of his $2 backers at the windows. The 11-year-old horse is out of Northern Luck, is trained by Justin Huckabone and owned by Jonathan Applebaum of NY.

The GSY Series will be set for this Friday night (Oct. 30) at the Big M and the first post is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.  The amateurs will compete over the next few weeks at Monticello on Wednesday afternoons and the Meadowlands on Friday nights.