by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Bob Krivelin reigned supreme in the $12,000 NAADA Trotting Series finale when he guided High Pan Tolerance to a 1:59.2 triumph at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday (Nov. 29).

It marked the second consecutive season that the New York City food purveyor has won the final event in the North American Amateur Drivers Series, which again was a non-wagering event prior to the first betting race on the card.

This year Krivelin drove High Pan Tolerance to a 1:59.2 triumph and they turned back I’m Fabulous, driven by Alan Schwartz, and Gary Campbell, with The Windsurfer A.

At the start of the race Krivelin sent High Pan Tolerance to the lead from the four hole and they got away with a soft :30 first quarter. Backing off the half to 1:01.2 forced Schwartz to move I’m Fabulous first-up, but they never got alongside the leader. When the timer at the three-quarters flashed 1:29.4 the fans knew why because the two horses just trotted a :28.2 third stanza.

From there Krivelin kept after his charge and although they opened daylight between themselves and Schwartz’s trotter, I’m Fabulous was gaining ground in the deep stretch, but finished a length behind High Pan Tolerance in the :58 final half-mile time.

“I was just following the trainer’s (Jennifer Lappe) instructions,” Krivelin said. “She told me she’s seen I’m Fabulous race and that he’s a good trotter so if I was to win she wanted me to go a slow first half and then step on the gas and when I pulled the plugs on the turn my horse took off like a rocket.

“He (High Pan Tolerance) is good on the turns so we gained ground on Schwartz and his trotter but I was surprised that he was coming at me as we neared the wire.”

Krivelin’s victory was his third in the series with High Pan Tolerance, having won two previous preliminary legs.

“It’s always a thrill to win a race at Yonkers,” Krivelin added happily. “When I was a teenager I always went there as a fan and when I was heading back to the winner’s circle I saw a guy on the fence whom I remembered from those days — probably 40 years ago — so I invited him to join me in the winner’s circle presentation. That made my win even more special.”