Freehold, NJ — The GSY had a “doubleheader,” racing at two venues on Friday (Nov. 11), Freehold Raceway during the day and the Meadowlands at night. Unfortunately, both were under wet and a sloppy track at both venues on Veterans Day.

The eighth race on the card at Freehold featured eight pacers that saw some early action, which essentially set it up for a closer. That closer happened to get away last and spotted the field some 10 lengths after the first quarter mile marker.

While Illini Duke (Jake Stillwell) set some early stiff fractions, he was overtaken down the back stretch with a three-wide burst by longshot Holy Grail N (Tony Verruso), who cleared to the lead and opened up in the stretch.

His final margin was four lengths, and the mile went in 1:57.3. Firenglow A (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan) got up for second while the favorite, Magritte (David Yarock) held on to the show dough. The 11-year-old gelding is owned by Mark Toth out of NJ and is trained by Symon Spicer.

As some of the drivers made the trek up the turnpike through the rain and wind, the night part of the day/night doubleheader featured three races on the card.

In the first race, there was the usual early battle for the lead but Pan Street Usa (Tony Beltrami) was able to grind his way to the lead through a relatively soft first quarter.

As he backed down the second quarter through a :30.2 clip, pocket sitter Kingofthejungle (David Glasser) tried to gain the lead. That was short-lived because Howtotrainurdragon (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan) made a bid for the lead and cleared before the three-quarter stanza.

That proved to be the winning move as he was shortening strides and drifting in the stretch, but he was still able to hold on to the victory by three-quarters of a length.

Longshot It’s Rigged (David Yarock) rounded out the exacta and Gentlemensattitude (Juan Cano) rounded out the trifecta. The mile was timed in 1:56.3. The 10-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Gena Anderson.

The third race featured 10 pacers splashing through the slop, and again, there were two leavers for the lead.

After a give-and-go past the first quarter, Rockabilly Charm (Tony Beltrami) had command for most of the mile but was overtaken in the stretch by Trashytonguetalker (Robert Hechkoff). He looked like he was going to hold on to the win but was nipped right before the wire by a nose to the late closing Thndrfrmthethron N (Neil Glasser).

Gottalovemyshadow (Christopher Petrelli) rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:55. The 8-year-old gelding is owned by Glasser himself out of NJ and is trained by Mike Watson.

The fifth and final GSY race featured some late-night hardball, which boded well for the closers. After a swift 27.1 first stanza in the slop, Casino Bags Anso(Jake Stillwell) and Mask On Mask Off(Cote Keim) were trading positions on the lead. That led to an outer flow developing as the field headed to the three-quarter pole. As the field entered the stretch, there was a wall of horses, and it looked like any of them could get the win.

With six horses at the finish within a length or so of the winner, it was Matt Zuccarello, who “Saved all the ground,” according to track announcer Ken Warketin, and his rail skimming ride proved to be a winning one as he got Brigadoon up in time by a neck victory over post time favorite, Scrappin Gold(Roy Marohn).

J Rockin B(Tony Beltrami) rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:56. The 9-year-old gelding is owned by Triple Q Stables LLC out of NJ and is trained by Edwin Quevedo.

This win was Zuccarello’s 42nd in his career and ninth triumph of the season, but what made it special to him was it was on Veteran’s Day and the victory was in honor of his dad, who was a Vietnam veteran who passed over 2-1/2 years ago. A nice way to end the day under adverse conditions.

The GSY will be back in action next Friday at Freehold and the Meadowlands.