by Matt Zuccarello, GSY Series Reporter

East Rutherford, NJ — As another Cinco de Mayo passes, a familiar face was back in the winner’s circle at the Meadowlands on Friday night (May 5).

Under clear skies and 60 degree temperatures, nine trotters went to post in the fifth race for the GSY Amateur Trot event. As is customary in a majority of the amateur events, there was plenty of action at the start and for the entire mile as several horses left for the lead.

There were two different leaders before the half and that is when Panana Republic, with Hannah Miller in the sulky, took the lead and never looked back. She got away sixth at the first stanza and was on the outside parked for almost a half mile. Once she cleared Creampuff Macdaddy, driven by Paul Minore, and Fox Valley Steffen, with John Kokinos holding the lines, she settled her trotter down and went on to a 5-1/2 open lengths victory. The mile for these conditioned trotters(optional $10-$15,000 claimers) was timed in a fast 1:55.4.

Keenan, with John Calabrese in the bike, finished second, and Landonfitz, driven by GSY Series President Dave Yarock, came from way back to finish third.

Miller, the post time favorite, still paid a modest $5.80 mutuel for a $2 win bet. This 6-year-old mare is by Kadabra, owned by Peter Pan Stables Inc. out of Ohio and trained by Chris Marino.

As the spring weather continues to warm up, so does the exciting amateur racing action every Friday night at the Meadowlands. Next week the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Series takes center stage as the GSY Series will have a week off.

Don’t miss out on the non-stop action of harness racing. First post is 7:15 p.m.