Northfield, OH — Amateur driver Larry Ferrari began his 2024 season just as he wrapped up 2023 — with a win.

On Dec. 30, Ferrari guided his wife’s So Wishfull to victory as the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association concluded its successful season at MGM Northfield Park.

Kicking off the new season was no different as Ferrari picked up a catch drive in the first GLADA event of 2024 and promptly won with the 13-year-old Wild And Crazy Guy for Braiden Rhoades, who trains for owner Timothy Poitinger.

On a wintry night for racing with temperatures hovering a degree of so above freezing with the track sloppy and three seconds off, Ferrari sent Wild And Crazy Guy carefully off the wings and wended his way to the front just short of the :29 opener and led the rest of the way, scoring by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:00.4. Brigotto slipped through along the pylons to be second for Henry Beachy while Deliciousstone DK was next for Lauren Harmon after looking the leader in the eye turning for home.

Leaving from post three, Ferrari was three deep early with his charge around the opening turn before forging his way to the front on the backside and quickly opened up a 2-1/2 advantage in :29. The lead widened even further through a :58.3 half as Deliciousstone DK began to gnaw away at the leader, who reached the third station in 1:29.1. Wild And Crazy Guy and Deliciousstone DK raced as a team turning for home but the leader began edging away once straightened away with Brigotto taking the short route home to be second.

In a post race interview, Ferrari said, “The conditions weren’t exactly summer-like out there and the track was very tiring but Wild And Crazy Guy still has plenty of class and showed that tonight.”

Indeed, Wild And Crazy Guy now sports 61 career wins in 302 starts and vaulted to earnings of $752,937, with many of his wins being on the engine, which “he seems to prefer,” said Ferrari. Wild And Crazy Guy returned $3.80 to win.

For the winning driver it was his 383rd career win, this after achieving his first .300 UDR last season since his first pari-mutuel drive in 1986.

The GLADA membership donates all earnings from driving in amateur races for charitable distribution to organizations benefiting retiring horses, their aftercare and retraining for second vocations and dozens of other worthy charities.