Freehold, NJ — For the second time in less than a month Tony Verruso and Slated To Win scored a victory in the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway. On Saturday (March 6) they were victorious in 2:00.1. Just three weeks prior Verruso guided the 5-year-old Uncle Peter gelding to a victory in an earlier leg of the trotting series also at the New Jersey oval.

When the gate sprung in today’s contest Verruso gunned his trotter to the lead from the six-hole and they looped Always A Good Time (Joe Faraldo) who had started from post position four.

“My horse leaves good and I fired him up when the gate sprung and he trotted to right around Faraldo’s horse and we had command before the quarter,” Verruso said via phone after the race. “Once on the lead he was on the bit so I let him ramble.

“After a :29.4 first quarter Always A Good Time seemed content to be on the limb and Joe (Faraldo) wasn’t pushing the pace so we got by the half in one-minute.

The leaders remained one-two by the three-quarters as the timer flashed 1:30.3. However, when they rounded the final turn and straightened for home Always A Good Time started to fade and Tony Beltrami hustled Big Smoove up alongside Slated To Win. The two were joined by Dark Pool (John Calabrese) and the three battled all the way to the wire.

At the finish Slated To Win was a length better than his rivals and went on to victory. Big Smoove was second best and Dark Poole was a head farther back for the show dough.

Slated To Win is owned by George Beck and trained by Symon Spicer. He paid $9.60 for win