Yonkers, NY – Yogi Sheridan vaulted off a pocket trip and John Calabrese skimmed through a seam at the pylons to win in their respective $13,100 divisions of the North American Amateur Driving Association (NAADA) Spring Series third leg on Thursday (March 26) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Sheridan proved much the best delivering 1-5 favorite Shake N Bake to an open-length victory in the first NAADA trot. Landing in third from the pylon post, Sheridan pulled Shake N Bake off the cones after a :28.4 first quarter and marched after leader Big Charlie Moran (driven by John Calabrese) heading to a :59.4 half. Pocket-sitter Papa Joe Lozito (Robert Ciavardini) lost ground through the third turn, providing Sheridan a slot to tuck behind the tempo-setter briefly before angling back outside. Shake N Bake pushed after Big Charlie Moran passing three-quarters in 1:29 and smoothly seized the lead while widening his lead through the last turn and in the stretch. He stopped the clock in 1:58, finishing 6-1/2 lengths better than Big Charlie Moran in second. Vali Hanover (Tony Beltrami) kicked from a second-over trip for third, another four lengths behind, with Papa Joe Lozito holding fourth.
Peter Pellegrino trains Shake N Bake, a 10-year-old gelding by Manofmanymissions, for owner Room4040 LLC Stables. He paid $2.62 to win.
John Calabrese later zipped through a gap off a ground-saving trip to deliver 9-1 shot Ima Standup Guy to a 2:01 win.
Calabrese floated Ima Standup Guy off the car and found a perch behind a three-wide battle through the first turn. Bontoni Degato S (James Slendorn), the 3-5 favorite, emerged with the lead in a :29 first quarter while Swiss House Onfire (Yogi Sheridan) raced stuck on the rim and pylon-starter Kilimanjaro NL (Joe Lee) tracked from the pocket. Swiss House Onfire continued to press Bontoni Degato S to a :58.4 half but began losing ground into the next turn, where Bontoni Degato S drifted off the pylons. Kilimanjaro NL advanced up the inside and strung out Bontoni Degato S as he clung to a narrow lead through three-quarters in 1:29.1. Bontoni Degato S faded into the stretch while Kilimanjaro NL reached for the finish. John Calabrese meanwhile, following Kilimanjaro NL the whole way, dipped up a gap at the pylons midway through the stretch. Ima Standup Guy snatched the lead and then held onto the win by a head as Ourmomentntime (Helene Engblom) stormed down the center of the track for second. Kilimanjaro NL finished third and Swiss House Onfire took fourth.
Scott Di Domenico trains Ima Standup Guy, a 7-year-old gelding by Archangel, for owners Joe Faraldo and Triple D Stables Inc. He paid $20.54 to win.
NAADA action resumes next Thursday (April 2) at Yonkers Raceway with the third preliminary of the club’s Spring Series. First-race post time at Yonkers Raceway is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).