by Matt Zuccarello, GSY Series Reporter

East Rutherford, NJ — Under cold and blustery conditions (with a negative one variant), the first race on Friday night’s (Feb. 2) Meadowlands card saw eight amateur trotters go to post.

As the gate opened, post time favorite Drama Free, with Rob Harmon in the bike, took the lead to the quarter pole in a sensible :28.4. As the trotters approached the half, GSY rookie Annie Stoebe, aboard Uriel, made a backside brush to the lead, off of a half in :59.1. She was able to hold onto that lead until the three-quarter marker but that is when some of the closers kicked into gear and Landonfitz, with GSY Series President Dave Yarock, took command as he went on to a length victory.

Getting up for second was early pocket sitter Here Comes Numbers, with Jennifer Lappe in the sulky, and Stoebe and Uriel held on for third. Another lady making her 2018 debut in the GSY Series, Monica Banca, driving Master Of Excuses, came from way back to finish fourth. The time of the mile was 1:58.

The winner is an 8-year-old gelding by Jailhouse Jesse and is owned by Yarock and trained by Shawn Christner.

Don’t miss the exciting Meadowlands action next Friday night as the amateur and pro racing continues. First post is 6:35 p.m.