by John Manzi for NAADA

Monticello, NY — With four of their members in Mallorca, Spain, competing against Spanish amateurs in an international friendship competition, two divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association Fall Trotting Series went to post Thursday (Sept. 24) at Yonkers Raceway and when the judges hung the official signs Bob Hechkoff and Bob Davis each emerged victorious in their respective divisions.

Hechkoff, no stranger to the winner’s circle this year, got his picture taken again when he guided his own Alternat Thursdays to a hard fought, 1:59.1 victory in the first of two non-wagering events while Bob Davis, currently with a hot hand, scored a come-from-behind triumph with Hallanet in a time of 2:01.4.

Hechkoff, who enjoys gunning his stock to the lead, did so again when he hustled Alternat Thursdays to the front from the seven-hole to gain command in a :28.4 first quarter. Once on top Hechkoff braced for a challenge from Paul Minore, who moved first-up with Wygant Prince as the field headed to the halfway point. From there the two trotters raced head-to-head past the third stanza and into the final turn.

As the field headed for home Alternat Thursdays, still in command, had to reach down for more when Matt Zuccarello and Falcon Bluestone came calling. Still three lengths off the leader, Zuccarello’s trotter mounted a fierce charge to the wire only to be rebuffed and fall short by a head to Hechkoff’s Alternat Thursdays. Wygant Prince, after being on the limb for more than half the mile, hung on for third money.

It was the third seasonal victory for the 10-year-old altered son of Andover Hall, whose career earnings are approaching $400,000. The winner is owned by R.B.H. Enterprises and for Hechkoff it marked his 16th seasonal driving victory.

In the other split Hallanet went an overland trip from the three-eighths to the wire and overtook the pacesetter, Blazin Delores, in the final 100 yards to score a solid one length victory.

After hooking up in a head-to-head duel with Majestic Jo (Dave Yarock), Blazin Delores was strong nearly all the way to the wire, but in the final strides she succumbed to the late charge of Hallanet. Brad Rathbone finished third with Super Chuck.

Hallanet, a 4-year-old Cash Hall mare owned by Paul Minore, scored her third seasonal triumph. It was the second consecutive driving victory and third of the season for Bob Davis.

Meanwhile in Mallorca, NAADA mates Joe Faraldo, Hannah Miller, Joe Pennacchio and Alan Schwartz will battle Saturday and Sunday with the same Spanish amateurs who soundly defeated them on American soil earlier this year.