East Rutherford, NJ — The first of three amateur pace races took place over a sloppy track on Friday (Feb. 4) at Freehold. 

After some jostling for the lead, Vintage Gal (Nicole Dicostanzo) quartered moved to the lead over the post-time favorite, Ferdinand A(James Slendorn) and held that advantage until the field hit the three-quarter pole. 

That is when the 15-year-old Statesman N (Melissa Arbia) took the lead and held a stubborn Vintage Gal to win by a half-length. The ladies rounded out a nice exacta and Doc Semalu (Tony Verruso) rounded out the Italian trifecta. 

It is also noted that Rockinwiththebest (Matt Zuccarello) finished fourth to round out the all Italian superfecta. The mile went in 2:01 over the off-going. The 15-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Newton (Yogi) Sheridan out of NJ.

The first of two amateur pace races at the Meadowlands took place in race 2 on the card. After the wings of the gate folded, a speed duel ensued over the sloppy going, and the two combatants were Father Sarducci (James Slendorn) and longshot Outrageous Story (Michael Russo). 

These two went a blistering first half-mile in these conditions(:27.1/:55.2) and this looked like it would set it up for all the closers. As the field came down the lane, Slendorn narrowly held off post-time favorite, Hes Gone Badder (Tony Verruso) to win by a neck and just a length back was a hard-charging longshot Mv Ok Palacio Br (Matt Zuccarello). The mile was timed in 1:55.3. The 9-year-old gelding is owned by Slendorn himself out of NJ and is trained by Mark Kesmodel.

The seventh race on the Big M card featured 10 pacers and several horses left hard for the lead. After a :27.3 first quarter-mile, another 15-year-old, Dream Out Loud N (Zuccarello) took command and carved out rational fractions from there. 

He took the field into the stretch with a length margin but horses were coming from everywhere, and after an uncharacteristic break in mid-stretch, Preppy Art (John Calabrese) was able to get up in the final strides to win by a head over Franco Tristan N (Joe Lee). 

Longshot Causway (Marianna Monaco) got up for third. The 10-year old gelding is owned by Spencer Goldin out of NJ and is trained by Alexandra Goldin. The mile went in 1:57. 

The GSY amateurs will be back in action next Friday at Freehold during the day and at night at the Meadowlands.