by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Monticello Raceway has been in on the ground floor ever since amateur driving returned to the spotlight in the early 1980’s. And every year since then amateur racing kept growing and now is an integral part of the harness industry.

One of amateur racings greatest proponents is, and has been, Monticello Raceway, and over the years the track has offered events for sportsmen and sportswomen and has spawned some very talented professional drivers.

Geri Schwarz photo

Driver Joseph Lee guided Partner to the fastest amateur mile ever at the Mighty M on Thursday at Monticello Raceway.

After nearly four decades of competitive amateur racing, it wasn’t until Thursday, June 11 in a leg of the Catskill Amateur Club series that the fastest mile ever driven by an amateur over the Mighty M double-oval happened. It was turned in by Joseph Lee when he guided pacer Partner to an easy 11-length romp in a time of 1:55.4 over the Hannah Miller driven Rise Above It. Two lengths farther back in third place was Minnesota Hanover driven by Matt Zuccarello.

“He warmed-up great and he was on the muscle the whole mile,” Lee said after his romping victory with Partner. “He really went a great race today and I have to thank (trainer) Brandon Simpson for allowing me to drive him.”

In the real world Joseph Lee is the assistant equipment manager for the New York Yankees – yes the Bronx Bombers.

“I’ve been driving in amateur races here at Monticello for the past few years and it was always hard to get away from the (Yankee) Stadium because it seemed the Yankees were playing every time I got a chance to drive. But with Monticello’s amateur series races on Thursday this year it gave me a great chance to enjoy driving because Thursday happens to be off days for the Yankees; or they are playing out of town.”

For Lee it was his second driving victory this season and his seventh from a limited amount of starts in an amateur career that began in 2010.

Partner is owned by Barry Franklin and trained by Brandon Simpson. He paid $7.30 for win.

Another amateur race, sponsored by the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA), was also part of the Mighty M’s afternoon’s race card and in that pacing event Dave Yarock reined CSI What’s My Name home first in a time of 2:00.2.

“I had the pole (position) and when the race began I went for the lead,” Yarock related. “Joe Pennacchio (with Futuristic Bride) was parked-out so I let him go as we neared the (first) quarter.”

After a :29.4 first stanza Futuristic Bide then led the field by the half in :59.4 with CSI What’s My Name tucked in nicely in the two-hole. Up the backside, despite having made a break behind the gate, Hallanet and driver Paul Minore had ranged alongside the leaders as the field headed by the three-quarters. However, after spotting the field some eight lengths at the start and then making up all the ground needed to put him in back in the race, Minore’s trotter was tired which allowed Yarock the move CSI What’s My Name out to challenge when the field straightened for home.

By mid-stretch CSI What’s My Name had drawn even with Pennacchio’s trotter and then went on to a 1-1/2 length triumph over Futuristic Bride. Hallanet faded but held on for the show money.

The winner, owned by Joel Golub and David Glasser, is trained by Jim Doherty, Jr. He paid $6.20 for win.

For Dave Yarock, a financial planner by trade, his victory was his second of the season and 53rd in his career.