Yonkers, NY — Tony Verruso and Scott Keppler won their respective $8,000 North American Amateur Driving Association events on Thursday night (Aug. 5) at Yonkers Raceway.

Verruso, who doubles as a flight attendant when not driving Standardbreds, is enjoying his best season in the sulky. His 1:59.3 victory with his own Winneress was his 12th of the season in just 36 starts. Verruso left hard from post five with Winneress and drafted from the pocket behind Joe Faraldo and Grafenberg through fractions of :29, :59.4 and 1:30. When the trotters headed for pay dirt, Verruso angled Winneress out to challenge, and he got up to defeat Grafenberg by a half length. Shoot The Thrill and Keppler finished third.

Symon Spicer trains Winneress, a 7-year-old Credit Winner gelding.

In the second division, Keppler rushed his Judge Ken to an uncontested lead. The 5-year-old Justice Hall gelding was unchallenged through fractions of :29 and :58.4 before drawing clear by 3-1/2 to three-quarters in 1:28 and expanding that margin to 5-3/4 lengths at the end of a 1:58 mile. PC Foreign Affair and Joe Pennacchio rallied to finish second; David Offenberg and Fiji faded to third after gapping the pocket.

Steve Moore trains Judge Ken.