East Rutherford, NJ — The amateur drivers were back at The Meadowlands Friday night (Sept. 3) and were slated for three races for the betting public to wager on.

In the first amateur pace race, there was the usual early mayhem with a breaker at the start and then a brush to the lead as a speed duel was trying to ensue. Jerrytone (John Calabrese) took command early on in the mile but then was rushed by a big half-mile move by post time favorite Takeittotheface (Tony Beltrami).

His bold move to the lead before the three-quarter pole paid off and he cruised under the line a 3-1/2 length winner. Cashncam (James Foley) came from way back to finish second and one of the early leavers, Bali (Tony Ciuffetelli), rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:53.1.

The winner is a 7-year-old gelding out of the mare Anastasia Hanover and sired by Artzina. He is owed by P T Stable and trained by Paul Fusco.

The amateur trotters took center stage in race three on the card and only two horses really left hard in this race.

Stealing (Matt Zuccarello) from his rail position took early command in a moderate :29 first quarter but was quickly brushed by Hotfoot Hannah (Tony Ciuffetelli), who took the lead over before the half after not being able to find a hole in mid-pack. This left Shoemaker Hanover (David Offenberg) on the limb, hung for the entire mile, and the field entered the stretch this way, as the parked horse started to fade.

The inside opened up for the closers and that is where Zlatan (Jake Stillwell) found himself hugging the cones and made his move a winning one. The tiring Ciuffetelli hung on for second and Cimeronken (David Glasser) came flying home to pick up the show dough. The mile went in a modest 1:57.

The winner is an 8-year-old gelding out of the mare Cabaret Hall and sired by Muscle Mass. The victory made it a double for trainer Paul Fusco. The gelding is owned by J M F Racing.

Nine pacers and the amateurs were back at it for the fourth race on the Big M card and after a fast and contested first quarter, Tony Beltrami was able to wrangle the post time favorite Watchmeneighneigh to the lead and never looked back.

That was until the deep stretch, when his pacer started shortening strides, but was able to hold off all of the late chargers en route to a neck victory over a newcomer to the amateur ranks, Bruno Chiodo, who drove the mare Petal To The Metal to a second place finish. Another closer from way back, Marvalous One (James Foley), rounded out the trifecta. The mile was timed in 1:53.3.

It was Beltrami’s second win of the evening.

The winner is a 6-year-old gelding out of the mare Matter Of Life and sired by Voracious Hanover. He is owned by Maria Alvarez and trained by Williams Hernandez.

The amateur pacers and trotters will be back at the Big M next Friday night with the first post scheduled for 6:20 p.m.