East Rutherford, NJ — On a cold and rainy Friday night (March 6) in north Jersey, 10 pacers went to post over the sloppy surface in the third race on the card. The usual speed duel ensued as the gate opened with three horses leaving hard, and one unfortunately was parked the entire mile.

Frankandjoanne (Roy Marohn), Howmacsblackjack (Bob Davis), and newcomer Melissa Arbia, driving Redneck Fortune, all left for the lead and as the quarter-mile stanza approached, Marohn was on the lead and Davis was taking a tuck in second. That left Arbia hung on the outside and after a grueling half in :56 she started to fade through the field.

In the meantime Marohn opened up by four at the top of the stretch and his lead seemed insurmountable. That was not the case as Tony Beltrami, driving Parklane Jet, fanned four wide around the turn and looked to be in the eight or nine path in the stretch, but was able to get up by a half-length.

After the race, he said via the locker room, “My horse was very good. Once I had clearance in the stretch, he closed great which made us a winner by a slim margin.”

Marohn finished second and May I Cruise West (John Calabrese) got up for third. The mile was timed in 1:53.4. This 4-year-old gelding is by Jereme’s Jet and is owned by Terrence Smith. He is trained by Williams Hernandez.

The GSY Series continues next week at two venues. On Thursday the amateurs invade the Monticello Raceway half-mile oval and Friday night they are back at The Meadowlands.