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Gia’s Surreal and driver Jason Bartlett were able to leave from post three and never looked back as they were able to wire the field in capturing the $39,000 Mares Open Pace Thursday (May 19) at Yonkers Raceway.
The 8th race feature saw Bartlett an Gia’s Surreal cut fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:24.4, holding the field at bay the entire time, winning by one and one-half lengths in 1:52.2.
The pocket-sitting Dragon Roll (Tyler Buter) was second with Majorca N (Jordan Stratton) grabbing the third-place spot.
It was the third win this season for Gia’s Surreal. The six-year-old mare by So Surreal is trained by Ed Hart for co-owners Jim Graham, Ed Peron and Lee Winters. She paid $5.80 to win.
GIA’S SURREAL REPLAY
It’s not the first time that amateur driver Alan Schwartz has won a NAADA Final and probably not the last time either. With his victory Thursday at Yonkers Raceway the talented amateur driver visited a winner’s circle for the 634th time when he guided his own pacer Raceace to a gate to wire victory over Dark Pool (John Calabrese) in a time of 1:58.3 in the $15,000 NAADA Final.
“We cut all the fractions and It was real close at the wire but Raceace hung on for a nose victory. And a nose is good as a mile,” Schwartz said cheerfully after the race.
With the field reduced to six horses Schwartz sent his pacer to the lead from post four and they had command at the quarter in :29.1. They had a length lead over Pilgrim Caviar (Joe Lee) when they passed the half in :59.4 and they were still leading as they headed up the backside but at that point Calabrese had Dark Pool out and winging and they ranged alongside Raceace when they passed the three-quarters in 1:29. When they rounded the final turn and headed for home they were neck -and- neck all the way to the wire.
“When we passed the finish wire I thought we had won it but Calabrese wasn’t sure. It was so close that we milled around and waited for the judges call and to my chagrin they posted our number,” Schwartz said.
Third place went to Pilgrim Caviar in that 1:58.3 clocked mile.
Schwartz owns and trains the winner.
For full race results, click here.
by Steve Wolf and John Manzi
