Northfield, OH – The Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) was back in action at Northfield Park on Tuesday, (Oct. 28) with Bill Rhoades teaming up with Race Day to pull off a 16 to 1 upset.
Race Day, a 4-year-old altered son of Creatine, luckily leaving from an inside post this night, avoided a mix-up scattering half of the field an eighth into the mile.
From post two, Race Day was in the garden spot until engaging in a war to the wire in the final quarter mile to score by a neck in 2:00.2 over the pacesetting Vroom N Vonnie, who left from post one with Eric Miller handling the lines.
Double A Amber, post three, with Christina Johnson driving, was next while Baby Yoda, teamed with Ryan Deaton fourth. Weston Swan, with Lauren Harmon in the bike, picked up the nickel after suffering interference early in the mile.
At the outset, Vroom N Vonnie left sharply off the wings with Race Day alert as well and getting away second with Double A Amber next and Baby Yoda eventually settling in fourth after A Royal Line made a miscue entering the backside the first time and causing interference to the remainder of the field.
Vroom N Vonnie had put up numbers of :28.1, :58.4 and 1:29.2 when Race Day left the cozy pocket in a war with the leader and looked “V N V” in the eye around the final bend.
Turning for home, Vroom N Vonnie had a narrow lead but Race Day kept gnawing away and got to the line first by a neck.
In a post race interview, driver Bill Rhoades, who also trains the winner for David Beachy, said, “He raced really will last week at The Meadows and I was really surprised he went off at such a high price on the board—16 to 1—and our post helped tonight, especially after the mix-up scattering the field.
“We were lucky enough to avoid that and when I decided to pull, the horse was full of fight and raced really gritty.
“I don’t drive very much these days (Ed. note: This is Rhoades’ first driving win since Nov. 6, 2021 and his 11th win lifetime) but I will say—tongue-in-cheek—that anytime you drive against Larry Ferrari, you’re a winner.”
Rhoades, known for his training prowess, has 1,381 career training wins with training batting averages as lofty as .451 during his career stretching over two decades.
The winner was sixth choice in the betting and rewarded his faithful with a $34.80 mutuel.
GLADA is one of several amateur driving clubs whose members donate 100% of their earnings driving in their sponsored races benefitting 501 (c-3) community, regional and national charitable organizations.