by Matt Zuccarello, GSY Series Reporter

East Rutherford, NJ — Friday night (Oct. 12) began the fall/winter meet at The Meadowlands and the amateur drivers were back in action. Ten trotters went to the post in this special GSY/NAADA American-French friendship event in race two on the card.

After one breaker before the start, only two horses left hard from the gate. Uriel with Annie Stoebe holding the lines had the lead and begrudgingly gave it up to Mr Ridgetaker, with David Yarock in the bike. That lead was short lived as Stoebe came back on the inside after Yarock’s trotter drifted into the two path as the trotters stormed to the half-mile stanza.

This is where the action started to heat up and a European type of outer flow began to develop with five trotters out and five trotters remained on the wood. Rockin Redford, with Roy Marohn in the sulky, was the first to pull three wide as they approached the far turn and stalled, forcing fellow American Tony Ciuffetelli four wide aboard Aventure, the eventual runner-up.

While this was happening, Frenchman Sebastien Campain stayed inside behind the race leader, Uriel, who held on for third, and tipped out with Landonfitz as they entered the stretch. His move was well timed and led him to a 4-1/2 length victory. As he approached the finish with victory in hand, he gave a theatrical fist pump and Zoro-esque like whip twirl for the fans and photographer. The mile was timed in 1:56.4. This 8-year-old gelding by Jailhouse Jesse is owned by fellow amateur driver David Offenberg’s Allister Stables and is trained by Eric Abbatiello.

This concluded a week of racing at different venues for the American and French amateur drivers.

The GSY Club takes center stage next week when the first leg of the GSY Fall Club Series takes place for a purse of $8,000. First post is 7:15 p.m.