by Matt Zuccarello, GSY Series Reporter
East Rutherford, NJ — Under beautiful skies and low 70 degree temperatures Friday (June 2) night, another GSY Amateur trotting event was held with a field of 10 going to post. There were only three leavers in this amateur event and the top two at the first quarter were the first two under the wire.
Dr. John Kokinos, aboard Fox Valley Steffen, left the gate from post five and got to the top with relative ease. Keenan, with John Calabrese in the sulky, dropped in second and was on the helmet of the eventual leader all the way to the top. Kokinos would not relinquish the lead and left Celebrity Stimulus, with David Glasser parked on the outside, as he tried to leave from the tough 10-hole.
As the race entered the top of the stretch, Kokinos stepped on the gas and had plenty left in the tank, as he went on to win by more than four-lengths.
The mile was timed in a fast 1:55.2 for this amateur event.
Keenan did hold on for second and the post time favorite, Real DJ Hanover with Sarah Svanstedt, got up for third.
This 8-year-old gelding is by International Chip and is owned and trained by Jennifer Lappe.
Next week, the CKG Billings Amateur Series takes center stage at The Meadowlands on Friday night, so the GSY amateur event will take a week off, but will be back in action in two weeks from tonight. First post is 7:15 p.m.