Yonkers, NY — After watching the visiting Italian amateur drivers make a good showing in the Hambletonian amateur trots at the Meadowlands on Friday (Aug. 2), the NAADA vs. Italian amateur friendship competition got underway at Yonkers Raceway on Monday night (Aug. 5) with two races on the betting card. And when the judges hung the official sign after each contest was completed NAADA’s John Calabrese had won both events.

Calabrese scored an eye-opening 1:53.4 victory with the Erv Miller-trained Normandy Beach in the pacing contest and Calabrese came right back to score a 2:00.1 triumph in the trot behind the Bill Adamczyk pupil Blue Swan.

Both races comprised the daily double on the Yonkers Raceway betting card.

In the trotting contest Calabrese started from the four-hole and coasted along the pylons in fifth position as NAADA’ s Tony Verruso cut swift fractions of :28.2, :56.3 and 1:25 with Our Regal Ideal N. But when the field headed for paydirt Calabrese angled to the outside and Normandy Beach zipped to the lead and coasted home an easy 1-1/2 length winner over Our Regal Ideal N. Italy’s Michele Bechis finished third with Hudsonandbernard.

The winner, a 5-year-old altered son of Somebeachsomewhere, is owned by the Rock And Roll Stable. He paid $13.00.

In the trotting event Calabrese had the odds-on favorite Blue Swan from the four-hole and trailed in fourth position until he moved first-up at the half to challenge the pacesetter Muzzy’s Muscles, driven by Joe Faraldo. With Muzzy’s Muscles on the inside and Blue Swan on his chin-strap on the outside, the two trotters were one-two by the third stanza.

Although Muzzy’s Muscle got first call at the top of the lane he faded as Blue Swan trotted clear and gamely held-off Merry Hanover (Jacopo Brischetto) and Tech Titan, with Enrico “Vino” Colombino at the controls.

Blue Swan, owned by William Chin, paid $3.90 for win.

NAADA has been hosting Italian amateurs from the Venice area with the final two contests Tuesday (Aug. 6) at Monticello Raceway.