by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Beginning in early March, the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) will be sponsoring a trotting series which will benefit the National Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Competitions will be held on Tuesdays at Yonkers Raceway and on Wednesdays at Monticello Raceway throughout the month with the final at Yonkers on April 7.

Trotters participating at Yonkers Raceway will compete for $6,000 purses while those at Monticello Raceway will go for $4,000 purses. In the series final the trotters will race for $12,000.

The series will kick-off at Yonkers Raceway on March 3 and is open to amateur drivers in good standing with any Amateur Club that is currently registered with the U.S. Trotting Association. Drivers must be 18 years or older and be licensed as either an “A” (full license) or a “P” (provisional) driver by the USTA.

Horses that are eligible must be 3-years-old and up who had six or more starts in 2008-2009 and are non-winners of $6,500 in their last six starts and are non-winners of $2,000 per start. Winners over $50,000 in 2008 are ineligible. Also eligible are trotters with a base claiming price of $15,000.

Drivers participating will be assessed a $50 starting fee in the preliminaries and a $100 starting fee in the series final. Besides the driver’s percentages, one-half of the total starting fees will also be added to the donation made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation at series end. Entry fee checks must be payable to NAADA.

The European Point System will be used in the series and the top ten point-earners will be eligible for the final.

For entries, or further information, please contact Joe Faraldo at (718) 544-6800 or Alan Schwartz at (845) 292-8128.