East Rutherford, NJ — For a second consecutive week, four races were on tap for the amateurs on Friday night (Dec. 10) at The Meadowlands, including three pace races and a trot race with a twist — a Pro-Am!

In the third race on the card, 10 pacers went to post and the customary speed duel ensued from the start. That is because Kingofthejungle (David Glasser) would not let Doctor Butch (Nicole Dicostanzo) go and this proved to be costly for both horses.

As this was taking place, Go Sandy Go (Benson Merrill) was sitting third on the rail and made his move as the field approached the three-quarter pole. He slipped off the rail and moved three wide and took the lead before the top of the stretch. He was able to hold off all late rallies to win by just over a length. Longshot Takeittotheface (David Yarock) got up for second and Master Conrad (Bruno Chiodo) rounded out a nice trifecta. The mile went in 1:54.3.

It was the second consecutive week that Merrill has won at the Big M.

Go Sandy Go is a 6-year old mare owned by Lauren Merrill and was trained and driven by Benson Merrill.

The fifth race on the card featured ten more pacers and amateur drivers and as the wings folded from the starting car several tried to leave for early supremacy. R Maddy Blue Chip (Tony Beltrami) left very aggressively from his rail position and wasn’t letting anyone get by him for the top spot. He went some blistering fractions of :26.2 and :54 and he was only able to sustain this lead until the three-quarter pole.

That is when the outer flow kept coming, even with several horses on the outside for the entire mile. In the end, Cecil Casanova (Mark Silva) grinded to the lead from his outside 10 post and was able to gain the lead just before the wire to win by just over a length. Pirates Alley (Anthony Verruso) hung on for second over a fast closing Bruce’s Magic (John Calabrese). The mile went in a fast 1:52.3.

Cecil Casanova is a 5-year-old gelding owned by All Star Racing Inc. and is trained and driven by Silva.

The seventh race on the card featured 10 trotters with five of them driven by professionals and five of them by amateurs. This was the first Pro-Am for the GSY in some time and the race didn’t disappoint.

Southwind Frost (Robert Hechkoff) left for the top spot, a place he normally likes to be, and he was able to get his trotter there from his nine post in :28.1. He sustained that lead all the way into the stretch and even rebuffed the post time favorite Swancredit (Scott Zeron) as the field turned for home. He was collared in mid-stretch by pocket sitter and longshot My Big Kadillac (Corey Callahan) who pulled the pocket and was able to grind to the top to win by just over a length.

He was sent off at odds of 34-1 from his rail position and with a professional sitting behind him. He was the longest shot on the board and another longshot, Crossfit Mouse (Todd Whitney), came from well back to finish second and Hechkoff was able to hold onto third. The pros won this event, but the amateurs finished a respectable second and third.

The winner paid just over $70 while a $2 exacta returned more than $1,300. The trotting mile was timed in 1:56.1, a new lifetime mark for this 7-year-old trotter. He is owned and trained by Mike Polansky, who is also an amateur driver.

The final amateur pace on the card featured nine of them going to post. As was the case in the other pace races, several tried to leave for the top spot.

Again, all challengers were rebuffed by Tuxedo Bay (Mark Silva) who was not taking a seat to anybody. This looked like it may have taken its toll on the pacesetter, who had to go :27 and :54.3 for the first half-mile, but was able to maintain his lead all the way to the wire and wound up winning by 2-1/4 lengths. Plus One (Joseph Burke) came from way back for this newcomer to the club to finish second and longshot Rock To Glory (Bruno Chiodo) rounded out the trifecta. This mile was paced in 1:52.

Tuxedo Bay is a 7-year-old gelding owned and trained by Silva.

The amateurs will give it a go next Friday night at the Big M with the first post scheduled for 6:20 p.m.