Yonkers, NY – Rey Franco surged from a pocket trip with 12-1 shot Pc Free Wheeling to nail tempo-setter Windsong Pioneer on the line and win the $20,000 North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Summer Series final on Thursday night (Aug. 27) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Leaving from post 3, Franco pushed Pc Free Wheeling toward the top and secured a pocket trip when Windsong Pioneer (driven by Andrew Adamczyk) crossed over from post 8 to take the lead into the backstretch. Windsong Pioneer cut a :28.1 first quarter and traveled comfortably to a :59 half, where Barn Credit (Tony Ciuffetelli) flushed first-up from fourth as odds-on favorite Big Limo (Anthony Verruso) marched into a second-over spot while recovering from a break at the start. Barn Credit made minimal inroads up the backstretch on Windsong Pioneer while Franco readied his charge for an attack.
After three-quarters in 1:28.2, Franco hugged the pylons and swung outside spinning for home to lay aim on Windsong Pioneer. Pc Free Wheeling gathered his speed in the stretch and reached forward in time to seize victory by a neck in a 1:58.2 mile over Windsong Pioneer. But following an objection by John Calabrese and Cal Miles N Shell, who broke in the first turn when Adamczyk swooped to the lead, Windsong Pioneer was disqualified to last. Shake N Bake (Yogi Sheridan), who stormed widest of all down the stretch once shaking free from a ground-saving trip, took second with Bontoni Degato S (Scott Bako) chasing from a pylon trip for third and Barn Credit taking fourth.
Cory Stratton trains Pc Free Wheeling, an 8-year-old mare by Wheeling N Dealin, for owner Caldwell Mamie Racing. She paid $27.36 to win.