Freehold, NJ — When Matt Zuccarello is not writing about a harness race he is equally at home sitting up behind a steed and competing against his fellow amateur drivers.

Case in point: the American Harness Drivers Club trot Saturday (Jan. 30) at Freehold Raceway where Zuccarello used the front-end route to score a 2:01.3 triumph over seven others with Donald Maiorano’s Latoka.

Sent off as the second choice in the eight-horse field and knowing that he had a solid contender, Zuccarello sent Latoka for the lead and they gained command after a :29.2 first quarter. Once on top Zuccarello kept the pedal to the metal and Latoka had a one length lead over Can Do and driver Joe Lee at the first quarter.

When the field trotted by the halfway point Latoka was solid on the lead as Joe Faraldo and the betting favorite, Always A Good Time, moved off the pylons and up towards the leader. But as the field trotted by the third stanza Latoka was still in command when Faraldo’s charge couldn’t get by.

As the field headed for home Always A Good Time stalled which allowed 16-1 Can Do, who was trailing the pacesetter throughout, a clear shot at Latoka and although he got to Latoka’s chin-strap, Can Do couldn’t get by and Latoka was a head winner in the 2:01.3 trotted mile. Always A Good Time held on for the show dough.

It was the second consecutive victory for Latoka, who was victorious last week in 2:01, also at Freehold.

Owned and trained by Donald Maiorano, Latoka paid $8.00 for the win.