Yonkers, NY — Bruce Baker lasted from pillar to post and Yogi Sheridan charged into action late to win their respective $13,100 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association trot at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (March 27).
Baker delivered 3-2 chalk Love This Bar to a 2:01.1 victory in the first NAADA division.
Leaving from post four, Baker fired with Fanatic (Sheridan) to his outside and cleared the lead before a :30.1 first quarter. Baker then kept Fanatic hung on the rim while the tempo stayed modest through a 1:01 half and three-quarters in 1:31.1.
Love This Bar sealed the victory in the lane as Fanatic trotted evenly for the line, leaving the leader to roll in for a length win. Pocket-sitter Alexander (Tony Beltrami) secured second from Fanatic in third.
Robert Ginsburg Jr. trains Love This Bar, a 7-year-old gelding by Bar Hopping, for owner James Craparotta. He paid $5.10 to win.
Lionhead surged forward in the closing stages to snag victory in the second NAADA trot.
Away fourth out of post six, Lionhead sat while Fashion Cantab (John Calabrese) carved opening splits of :28.3 and :59 before hitting a wall and beginning a retreat. Pocket-sitter All Rise (Beltrami) circled to the lead while Sheridan found an outside tow through Limerence (Dawn Anderson) swinging for the backstretch.
All Rise scooted to a widened lead up the backstretch as Lionhead, left uncovered once Limerence ducked to the pylons, continued closing ground on the rim. After three-quarters in 1:29, All Rise clung to his diminishing advantage while Lionhead maintained steam to the outside and powered past to slide away to a 1-3/4 length win in a 2:00.4 mile. All Rise settled for second with Awol Hanover (Steven Reisenweaver) taking third from Limerence in fourth.
Terry Morgan owns and trains Lionhead, a 9-year-old gelding by Uncle Peter. He paid $11.40 to win.
NAADA action continues at Yonkers Raceway next Thursday (April 3) with the third leg of the club’s Spring Fling Series. First-race post time at Yonkers is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).