by Matt Zuccarello, GSY Series Reporter

East Rutherford, NJ — While it was an interesting week weather-wise in the Tri-State area, there were some familiar faces back in the winner’s circle for the first two GSY Amateur Series finals on Friday (March 18).

In the second race on the card, eight trotters went to the gate for the series finale with a purse of $12,500. With some decent fractions for the first half-mile and some horses parked for a majority of the race, this couldn’t have set up a better scenario for the post time favorite and eventual winner, Karets. The 2016 Amateur Driver of the Year runner-up Joe Lee in the sulky.

B L Class Act, driven by Allen Sisco, wouldn’t let anyone to the top and carved out honest fractions to the half-mile marker. Sim Brown had to take hold and sit in he pocket with John Kokinos holding the lines, which ended up leaving Tony Beltrami, aboard Scirocco Jakob, parked for the mile.

Joe Lee didn’t want to get stuck behind any parked horses so decided to tip three-wide just before the half-mile pole and opened up by four lengths at the three-quarter mile marker. He played catch me if you can and the rest of the competition couldn’t reel in the public betting choice. He ended up with a five-length victory and stopped the clock in 1:56.3.

GSY Series President David Yarock, aboard Landonfitz, got up for second while Keenan, with John Calabrese at the helm, rounded out the trifecta. The 6-year-old horse out of American Mike is owned by James Cosenza and trained by Carl Tirella.

The third race on the card featured 10 pacers for the other GSY Series final. The 2016 Amateur of the Year, Hannah Miller, was back to her winning ways and did this in World Record fashion, but it wasn’t easy. As is customary on the amateur circuit, several pacers left hard from their positions and a speed duel insued. Allen Sisco once again would not let anyone get to the top as he drove on with American Island.

This left Hannah Miller, aboard Stimulus Plan, parked on the outside and Joe Lee, driving Bieber Hanover parked three-wide throughout the first half mile. Fast fractions for this event of :27.2 and :55.3 would normally set this up for the closers. Well this was true for the second and third place finishers but Miller continued on her outside journey and ended up winning in convincing style by five lengths. As a side note, she also broke the US and World Record for the fastest amateur pacing race in history as the race was time in an impressive, 1:52.4.

It was her first victory on the circuit this year and surely there will be many more to come, as she looks to top her 2016 campaign. Who Do You Like, driven by Bob Davis, the former World Record holder, finished second, while John Kokinos, aboard Lightning Strike picked up the show dough.

Stimulus Plan, a 7-year-old gelding is by Western Ideal, is owned by J L Benson Stables Inc. and trained by Nick Surick.

Come down next Friday night (March 24) to see the next GSY Amateur Series Trot and Pace races on the same night. This will continue for just about every Friday night throughout the remainder of the Big M season. First post is 7:15pm.