East Rutherford, NJ – As the fall weather hits the Northeast, the GSY amateurs took to the track for the second consecutive week with four races.

The only trotting event took place in race four on the card.  Levitation (Juan Cano) left from post nine, and after a fast first quarter (:27.3), he settled down his trotter and was able to hold off a late rally by pocket sitter Ooh Rah (John Calabrese) who finished second.  Longshot Shoemaker Hanover (David Offenberg), got up for third.  The mile was timed in 1:56.1.

The 6 year-old gelding is by Kadabra out of the mare Southwind Amiga.  He is owned and trained by Franz Wolf out of New Jersey.

The first amateur pace race took place in the sixth race on the card.  There were only two who left hard for the lead and they raced that way for a majority of the mile.  Pacesetter Casino Bags Anso (Matt Zuccarello) was in command for the first three-quarters of the race, but pocket sitter Mayfield Duke (James Foley) waited patiently until the top of the stretch and pounced on the lead en route to a 3-1/2 length victory.

Zuccarello hung on for second and another 3-1/4 lengths back Jerrytone (John Calabrese) rounded out the trifecta.  This race went in 1:52.3.

The 8-year-old gelding sired by Santanna Blue Chip is out of the mare Pindar Blue Chip.  He is owned by Patrick Tortorello from NJ and trained by Edwin Quevedo.

Another full field of 10 pacers took to the track in the eighth race on the card.  After a scramble for the lead, Ferdinand A (James Slendorn) took command but was only able to hold that until the field entered the stretch.  Pocket sitter Flow With Joe (Tony Ciuffetelli) popped the pocket and looked to be a winner at long odds but was collared right before the wire by Albert A’ Scootin (John Calabrese), who won by a half of length.  Slendorn hung on for third.

The “Italian” exacta returned $79.40 for every $2 winning wager.  Calabrese continued his hot night picking up this victory, but also earned second- and third-place finishes earlier on the card.

The mile was timed in 1:53.  The 8-year-old gelding is by I Scoot Hanover out of the mare Mother Alberta.  He is owned by Frank Budzinski from NJ and is trained by John Bavosi.

In the 10th race, his fourth and final race of the night, Calabrese ended up moving up via placing to fourth and this all took place on the night of his 63rd birthday.

That third and final amateur pace race (race 10) featured the first open division of nine GSY pacers and another mad dash for the lead ensued as the wings opened.  Tuxedo Bay (Mark Silva) had to leave hard from his post nine and went a fast first quarter in :27 flat.

He was able to slow the fractions down somewhat (:55.2, 1:23.4) and looked like a winner but right before the wire, 35-1 longshot Oregon Trail (Tony Ciuffetelli) got up to win by a nose in 1:52.1.  Macintosh N (Jonathan Ahle) rounded out the trifecta.

Ciuffetelli paid a handsome $72 to his backers for a $2 win bet.  This 4-year old gelding out of the mare Western Babe, was sired by Bettor’s Delight and is owned and trained by Robert Leslie out of NY.

The amateur pacers and trotters will be off for about a month at the Big M but return to action in two weeks at Monticello.  They will return to the Meadowlands in early November.