by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Yonkers, NY — The North American Amateur Drivers Association’s Trotting Series got underway on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Yonkers Raceway. Two divisions were raced with Joe Faraldo and Bob Hechkoff each scoring a victory.

Joe Faraldo

In the first division Faraldo sent Winning Prince to the lead and the farther the veteran trotter went the stronger he was. He trotted the last half in :59.3 en route to a six length victory in a time of 2:02.4 over Legendary Charmer and driver Barry “Beanie” Farber. Terry Donnelly finished third with Jay A Novak.

For Faraldo it was his third consecutive winning drive in the amateur ranks with Winning Prince. The others were in the C.K.G. Billings Series.

To paraphrase a quote from Forrest Gump in the movie of the same name, Winning Prince and Faraldo go together like peas and carrots.

“The horse is a little nuts and I’m equally as nuts so we are a good fit,” Faraldo joked after his victory.

The other split saw Hechkoff use the same strategy with his victory behind Round About. Hechkoff, with pedestrian fractions, got the field to the half in 1:05.4 before he unleashed his trotter who rambled the final half-mile in 1:00.3 en route to a 2:06.2 triumph over Perfect Gerry and George Casale. Mike Strada took home the show dough with Ebba’s Yankee.

The NAADA Series preliminary legs race for $4,000 purses on consecutive Saturdays through October 24 with a $12,000 final slated for Saturday, November 14.

Horses eligible to the series include trotters 3-years-old and up in 2009 that had six or more starts in 2008-09, are non-winners of $6,001 in their last six starts, have won not more than $2,000 average per start in 2008-09 and are qualified at time of declaration. Non-winners of $2,001 last six starts are not eligible. Also eligible are 3-years-old and up in 2009 entered with a claiming price of $12,500 or $15,000 and are qualified at time of declaration.