Stillwell steers 37-1 shocker in NAADA Trot

YONKERS, N.Y.— Harness racing amateur driver Jacob Stillwell stormed off the speed with Judge Ken (Justice Hall) to claim a 2:00.1 victory as the longest shot on the board at 37.50-1 in the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Trot on Thursday night (May 11) at Yonkers Raceway.

Leaving from post 5, Judge Ken overcame a first-quarter kerfuffle caused by the break of favorite Dark Pool (driven by Tony Beltrami) to race fifth through a :28.1 first quarter. Call Me Thefireman (Anthony Verruso) avoided the trouble and led the field unpressured to a :58 half with King Jimmy (Scott Keppler) sitting the pocket and Drazzmatazz (Robert Krivelen) in third.

Call Me Thefireman continued coasting along to three-quarters in 1:28.1 and soon had King Jimmy looming from the pocket.

Meanwhile Judge Ken raced 11-1/4 lengths off the leader to the far turn, but quickly began making gains. In a final-quarter crawl, Judge Ken burst onto the scene and slammed the hammer on late leader King Jimmy to draw clear by 2-1/2 lengths and win at odds of 37-1. Drazzmatazz held third and Call Me Thefireman faded to fourth.

JUDGE KEN / JACOB STILLWELL REPLAY

Anthony Regina conditions Judge Ken, a 7-year-old gelding, for owner Regina Racing Stable LLC. He paid $77 to win.

NAADA action concludes next Thursday (May 18) with the $15,000 Spring Series Final at Yonkers Raceway. First-race post time at Yonkers is 7 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race results, click here.

by Ray Cotolo, for NAADA