East Rutherford, NJ — Three amateur races once again were on tap Friday night (Nov. 26) at The Meadowlands, with temperatures at race time just above freezing.

The first race featured 10 trotters going to post and a dash to the lead ensured as the wings of the starting card folded. One of the reasons was a severe head wind at the top of the stretch, which figured to make it tough on the deep closers but also potentially could play a role with the speed up front.

After a :28.3 first quarter, Dial A Chic (Tony Ciuffetelli) relinquished command to the post time favorite, Chief Justice (Tony Beltrami) but it took him some work to get to the top and this played a key role in the final outcome. After a :57.2 half, Beltrami opened up by a few lengths as the field hit the far turn. He looked like a winner as the closers came knocking but the flow was spread out and not many were gaining.

That wasn’t until Scirocco Patrick (Mark Silva) garnered the lead just before the wire and went on to a 1-1/2 length victory over Beltrami and Chief Justice. Swancredit (Melissa Arbia), who was claimed from the race, rounded out the trifecta after going a tough trip on the outside for the entire mile. The race went in 1:58.4.

The winner is a 4-year-old gelding out of the mare Starlet Rules, is sired by Father Patrick and is owned, trained and driven by Silva.

The fifth race on the card featured the first amateur pace of two on the night and once Elrama N (Terry Di Cicco) gained command going into the first turn, he never relinquished it and was able to win by a neck. A relative newcomer to the amateur circuit, Di Cicco left hard from his five post and led through a :29.2 quarter and :57.4 half-mile.

He was never really threatened until the deep stretch when Kingofthejungle (Dave Glasser) pulled outside but came up a neck short at the wire. Watchmeneighneigh (Tony Beltrami) rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:57.2.

The winner is a 12-year-old gelding out of the mare Lourama and is sired by Elsu. He is owned by Barry Franklin and is trained and driven by Di Cicco.

The seventh race on the card featured 10 pacers going to the gate and after a :28.1 first quarter set by Elysium Seelster (Roy Marohn), he was overtaken by Rockabilly Charm (John Calabrese), who had to work hard to get to the lead and went the half-mile stanza in a swift :55.4.

This set it up for the closers who came calling and when the wind and the dust settled, it was Pirates Alley (Anthony Verruso) who wound up first on the wire by a neck. It was the second consecutive week that this horse was sent off at 30-1 odds and after finishing second last time, he was able to get up this week in the final strides for the victory. He paid a handsome $66 to win. Marohn was able to hold second with Elysium Seelster by a neck over Midnight Lightning (Jonathan Ahle). The mile went in 1:55.3.

The winner is a 5-year-old gelding out of the mare Ms Michelle D and is sired by A Rocknroll Dance. He is owned by Elizabeth Kehoe and Triple Q Stables and is trained by Edwin Quevedo.

The amateurs will be back at The Meadowlands next Friday night with the first post scheduled for 6:20 p.m.