Ferrari wins with Fred’s Dream Girl

Northfield, Ohio…September 29, 2024…There may have been an anxious moment or two but Larry Ferrari wound up in the Northfield Park harness racing winner’s circle after guiding 3-to-10 favorite, Fred’s Dream Girl (Team Six), to a popular win in the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Series (GLADA) on Sunday night.

The seven-year-old daughter of Team Six, trained by Cory Kreiser for owner Amber Major, scored by 2 3/4 lengths over Nothingbutadreamer, driven by Christina Johnson.

The longest proposition in the race, MVP Luke, off at 50 to 1, finished a quick closing third while Muscles For Life, hung out to dry like wet launder every step of the mile, finished fourth for Lauren Harmon,

Mini Bar Hanover, with Edward Miller in the sulky, picked up the nickel.

Fred’s Dream Girl leaving from post four, was quick off the wings with Light Blue Movers, with teammate Braiden Rhoades, and wrestled to the lead a couple of strides short of the :28.4 opening quarter.

Once on top, Rhoades gave his charge a nice breather, reaching the half in :59 with Fred’s Dream Girl in the garden spot and Muscles For Life grinding forward into third.

From there, the pace quickened on the backside with Muscles For Life challenging less than a length away and Nothingbutadreamer launching a double bubble bid while Fred’s Dream Girl remained patient.

Turning for home, the leader suffered an equipment malfunction to lose al chance having Fred’s Dream Girl some room to roam and on to an easy victory on the strength of a :28.4 finale, hitting the wire in 1:57.4.

FRED’S DREAM GIRL REPLAY

In a post race interview, driver Larry Ferrari lamented, “Sometimes, you have to make split second decisions in a race…sometimes they are right…sometimes they are wrong…and sometimes they are wrong but turn out right.

“I guess you could say that happened here and, as they say, a win is a win!”

For Fred’s Dream Girl, it was her fourth win of the year in 13 starts, vaulting her 20244 bounty to $32,090 and $139,798 lifetime.

The winner paid $2.60 to win.

For amateur driver Larry Ferrari, it was his 389th career victory in the USA—as he has wins overseas, as well, including the 2022 Centennial Amateur Championship contested in Rome, Torino and Florence, Italy.

GLADA is one of several amateur driving clubs throughout the USA with their members donating 100% of their driving earnings in these amateur races for charitable distribution.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by John Berry, for the GLADA