Yonkers, NY — Two divisions of the sixth leg of the NAADA Fall Trotting Series are now in the books, having taken place Thursday (Oct. 24) at Yonkers Raceway. Joe Faraldo and Melissa Arbia walked away with top honors in their respective $8,000 divisions.

Faraldo won his heat with Tough Get Going in 2:02.1 by the shortest of noses, while Arbia copped her split after rallying Finich Odair a head triumph in a 1:58.3 clocking.

After starting from post three, Faraldo ducked to the pylons and was content to allow Joe Pennacchio and Cheeky Little Miss to cut the fractions. Once on top, Pennacchio was unhurried and got his trotter by the quarter in a soft :30.2 and the half in 1:02.1 despite keeping Glenferrie Dreamer (Paul Minore) on the limb.

Meanwhile, Faraldo sat chilly with Tough Get Going until the top of the lane, where he rallied his trotter. Both Tough Get Going and Pennacchio’s Cheeky Little Miss charged to the wire.

“We won it but it was by the shortest of noses,” Faraldo explained. “In fact, it was so close that I wasn’t sure my horse won until they posted the order of finish on the infield tote board. I’m telling you it couldn’t have been by more than an inch!”

Even with his overland trip, Glenferrie Dreamer took home the show dough.

Tough Get Going is owned by Faraldo along with trainer Richie Banca. For Faraldo, who was named the National Amateur Driver of the Year in 2000, it marked his sixth victory this season.

The first event was nearly a carbon copy of Faraldo’s victory. In that one, Arbia and Finnick Odair benefited from a two-hole trip as Paul Minore and Wygant Prince kept Bob Hechkoff and Five Towns parked from the three-eighths until the three-quarters, when Five Towns began to tire.

After using the leaders for cover, Arbia asked Finnick Odair for more in the stretch, and the veteran trotter got up in the final strides for a head triumph over Wygant Prince. Five Towns hung on for third money.

The winner, a 4-year-old altered son of Cantab Hall, is co-owned by his driver along with Joe Bongiorno and trainer Jennifer Bongiorno.