Monticello, NY — Despite not having won a race this season, P C Foreign Affair was sent away as the betting favorite in the NAADA Trot at Monticello Raceway Wednesday (June 16) afternoon. And he didn’t let his backers down.

Driver Joe Pennacchio had his hands full before the start as his trotter didn’t hit a perfect stride when the race began and it wasn’t until the first turn that P C Foreign Affair settled down to a smooth gait.

“He was choppy at the start and I had all I could do to keep him from running,” Pennacchio said. “I had a steady hold on him and though we got away badly from the pole position once he flattened-out he was steady as a rock.”

But P C Foreign Affair was near the back of the pack as Joe Lee had Railee Workable unchallenged on the lead and they trotted by the first stanza in :29.3. Still in front as he passed the half in 1:00, Railee Workable braced for challenges.

Now steadily on gait Pennacchio moved P C Foreign Affair off the pylons and they marched forward while still in fourth position. But as the field headed up the backside Railee Workable had to deal with challenges from Katkin And Coke (Chris Petrelli) and then from P C Foreign Affair and at the three-quarters Railee Workable had drawn a crowd.

When the field rounded the final turn and headed for home, Matt Zuccarello moved Stealing off the pylons and had him in high gear and they were quickly joined by Raceace (Alan Schwartz) and in the deep stretch four horses were noses apart as they neared the finish line.

When the judges posted the order of finish P C Foreign Affair was a head better than Stealing with Raceace and Railee Workable also in the picture. All four horses were timed in 2:01.

“We got away badly and though my horse kept hitting the bike throughout the mile he never missed a beat and kept on trotting. And even when I got after him in the deep stretch he was steady,” wining driver Joe Pennacchio said.

Despite not having a win in 20 previous starts this season, the punters sent P C Foreign Affair away as the race favorite and he paid $4.90 to win.

The 8-year-old Cornaro Dasolo gelding is owned by Joe P Racing LLC and trained by Cory Stratton.