Yonkers, NY — The 2021 North American Amateur Drivers Association Trotting Series continued on Thursday (April 1) with two $8,000 events at Yonkers Raceway. John Calabrese and Matt Zuccarello emerged victorious in their respective divisions.

Calabrese’s victory came behind the veteran Cantab Hall gelding Dark Pool, who darted to the lead from the pole position before yielding to Golden Kronos (Tony Ciuffetelli) and quickly retaking command after a :28.4 first quarter. Once on top, Calabrese played “catch me if you can,” and no one in the short five-horse field could as Calabrese kept the pedal to the metal.

Dark Pool led his competition by the half in :59.1, and had 1-1/2 lengths on Golden Kronos past three-quarters in 1:29.1. They continued one-two to the finish line, with Dark Pool a one-length winner in 2:002. Noble Warrawee (Mike Polansky) was four lengths farther back in third in the non-wagering event.

Paul Fusco trains Dark Pool for Barry Franklin.

In the other division, driver Matt Zuccarello scored his second consecutive triumph with Stealing, a 5-year-old Yankee Glide gelding, who again rallied from off the pace to score in 2:01.1.

Zuccarello settled Stealing along the pylons in fourth while Paul Minore and If I Must controlled a :30 first quarter. Minore showed the way past the half in 1:01.2 as Marianna Monaco moved Hot Summer Knight off the pylons, followed closely by Zuccarello and Stealing. At the three-quarter mark, If I Must was just a nose ahead of Hot Summer Knight. But when the field headed for home, Zuccarello had Stealing in high gear, and he trotting by If I Must for a 2-1/4-length triumph over the pacesetter. Joe Faraldo took home third with Presidente Zette.

“I waited patiently to the half and flushed out cover, and when I asked him to go down the backside, he had plenty of trot and cleared down the lane,” Zuccarello explained. “I love driving him and he makes me look good. He is a nice horse.”

Stealing is owned by Winners Circle Racing, John Campagnuolo and Latz A Luck Stable, and is trained by John Grasso.