by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Two five-horse divisions of trotters went to post in the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s series at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday (Nov. 28) and when the judges hung the official signs Tony Verruso and Bob Hechkoff each emerged victorious in their respective divisions, Verruso with Wygant Prince and Hechkoff with No Recess.

In his division Verruso took no prisoners after he gunned Wygant Prine to the lead and led the field by the quarter in :29.2. After a :31.3 breather Verruso got the field by the half in 1:01 and then Wygant Prince turned on the afterburners.

The veteran gelding trotted the next stanza in :29.1 and cruised home an easy winner in a 2:00.2 clocking. Although Bob Davis and Knockabout Rosie shadowed the winner throughout they couldn’t overtake Wygant Prince and had to settle for second money. Cassa’s Image finished third for Hannah Miller.

The winner, owned by Paul Minore and trained by Taylor Gower, notched his sixth seasonal triumph and for Verruso it marked his 60th driving victory of his amateur career.

In the other split Hechkoff nearly copied the strategy employed by Verruso when he left softly from the pylon position with No Recess and was looped on the first turn by Tagmaster (Tony Ciufettelli) only to retake before the quarter-mile timer flashed :28.2.

Once on top No Recess seemed invincible, trotting along comfortably and he even had a two length as the field turned for home. But in the deep stretch the veteran Rich Boy gelding got leg weary and Dave Offenberg and King’s Cavalier rallied from far back, only to lose a head decision to Hechkoff’s charge in a time of 2:00.2. Hallanet and Paul Minore took home the show dough.

No Recess is owned by Hechkoff’s R.B.H. Ventures and Kyle Spagnola and is trained by Spagnola. It was the trotter’s ninth seasonal victory and the 77th career winner driven by Bob Hechkoff.

Those non-betting races at Yonkers were the 10th in the NAADA series which will culminate in a $6,000 consolation on Thursday (Dec. 3) at Monticello Raceway and a $15,000 final at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday (Dec. 5).