by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Ray Schnittker wins his share of races — 2,112 to be exact — and on Wednesday, January 31, he added two more to his lifetime total when he guided the winners of the top trots on the afternoon card at Monticello Raceway.

Schnittker began the day with an impressive victory in the $12,500 trotting co-feature behind Frank The Hands, who went one of his best races in the past two seasons.

Despite an overland trip, Frank The Hands cruised to victory in the $12,500 trotting co-feature.

The 4-year-old son of Credit Winner certainly didn’t have the best of it after he started from post position seven. Skirting a pair of breaking trotters in the early going, Schnittker found himself on the limb, some seven lengths off the lead, as they passed the quarter pole. At that point he kept Frank The Hands moving forward on the outside and was five lengths from the top while using cover from Affaro Hanover (Jimmy Marohn), who was also parked out.

After he moved three deep around Affaro Hanover as they headed for the three-quarters, Schnittker had Frank The Hands in high gear and they drew up alongside the pace-setter, Beacon Hill Scott (Claude Huckabone III), and the two trotters raced eyeball to eyeball around the final turn.

However, once they straightened out and headed for home, Schnittker put the pedal to the metal and Frank The Hands opened up daylight and cruised home a four length winner in time of 2:02. Affaro Hanover rallied to be second and Rapid Ride (Eric Goodell) came from seventh at the three-quarters to finish third.

Frank The Hands, who was an outstanding freshman, but didn’t have an exceptional sophomore season — if one could call $113,639 in purse earnings unexceptional — is owned by Schnittker, Kelks Inc., Frank Baldassare and Paul Doherty. The trotter scored his first seasonal triumph and paid $17.80 for win.

Schnittker also made the best of his only other mount that day when he guided Clearaway to a two length victory in the weekly $15,000 Preferred Trot. It was the second consecutive triumph for the Yankee Glide 5-year-old gelding.

Racehorsephoto.com photos

Ray Schnittker is still sitting cool as Clearaway trots on to a triumph in the $15,000 Preferred Trot.

Clearaway and Schnittker started from post position four and they didn’t clear the way to the front until they gained command after the quarter pole. From there Schnittker sat cool on the lead with Clearaway and even when Mike Forte whipped Levitys Prodigy three wide as they passed the three-quarter pole and nearly trotted around Schnittker’s charge, he still sat cool. But when Schnittker pulled the horse’s ear plugs the trotter did the rest.

Clearaway got back even with Levitys Prodigy in the final turn and then, with Schnittker still sitting cool, Clearaway trotted on to a two length triumph over Levitys Prodigy in a time of 2:00.3. Strongbow finished third for Zeke Parker.

Sent off as the betting favorite in the race, Clearaway, owned by Schnittker, Frank Baldassare and Steve Demeter, returned a $4.00 win mutuel.