Monticello, NY — A confident Robert Hechkoff sent Five Towns to the lead when the gate folded, and the veteran trotter made every pole a winning one en route to a 1:59.4 victory in the fourth leg of the NAADA Trotting Series, which took place at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 10).

Sent off as the favorite from post four, Five Towns was joined on the first turn by Ladys Big Stormont (Alan Schwartz). To Schwartz’s dismay, Hechkoff played hardball and wouldn’t yield command.

“My horse leaves good, so I wanted the front end. And I tried to make a hole for Schwartz behind me, but that didn’t work out, so he was left out in the fresh air,” Hechkoff explained.

They raced as a team by the first stanza in :29.1, and Hechkoff kept the pedal to the metal to keep Schwartz on the limb past the halfway point in :58.1.

When the leaders headed for the three-quarters, Ladys Big Stormont was still second, but the overland route took its toll and the veteran trotter tired. That allowed Joe Pennacchio and Cheeky Little Minx a shot at the leader when they rounded the final turn. Five Towns was too much for his competition and rambled home a 1-1/4 length winner over Pennacchio’s charge. Six Bax finished third for Tony Verruso.

“He can leave fast or he can follow. He’s just a nice old horse and a real pleasure to drive,” Hechkoff said about Five Towns.

A 10-year-old Andover Hall gelding, Five Towns notched his seventh seasonal victory and raised his yearly earnings to over $51,000. He is owned by Hechkoff’s RBH Ventures and Spagnola Racing.

Sent off as the favorite in the race, Five Towns paid $5.50.