USA stories making headlines for Thursday, June 15, 2023

Here are the harness racing stories making headlines in the USA for Thursday, June 15, 2023

NAADA ACTION AT YONKERS RACEWAY

YONKERS, N.Y.— Rob Krivelin and Alan Schwartz fired down the road to take their respective $10,000 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA) Trots at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (June 15).

In the first division, Krivelin cleared to the top with Drazzmatazz (RC Royalty) to a :29.1 first quarter and pocketed slight 9-5 favorite Uncle Kip (driven by Alan Schwartz). Drazzmatazz snagged a breather to a 1:00.2 half and accelerated up the backstretch to gain separation to three-quarters in 1:30.1.

Opening a cushion coming for home, Drazzmatazz held a strong-enough advantage to hold the lead to the finish of a 2:01 mile over a fast-closing Fashion Cantab (Anthony Verruso), who recovered from a break past the quarter to take second. Finnick Odair (Tony Beltrami) came from off cover for third while Grafenberg (Joe Faraldo) gave chase in fourth.

Terry Morgan conditions Drazzmatazz, a 10-year-old gelding, for owner Danbry Racing Inc. Off the second favorite, he paid $5.90 to win.

DRAZZMATAZZ REPLAY

Schwartz applied similar front-stepping tactics with his pupil Raceace (Yankee Glide) and dusted his rivals in the other division in 2:00.4.

Raceace landed on the helm from post 5 to a :28.4 first quarter with Call Me Thefireman (Anthony Verruso) sitting second and Turbochargedpete (Joe Faraldo) third. And gradually, Raceace peeled clear from his peers through middle fractions of :59.2 and 1:29.4.

He expanded his advantage to four lengths to the final turn and widened it through the lane to win by 5-3/4 lengths over Jumpshot (Joe Lee), who pushed first over to take second. Reel Em In (Robert Ciavardini) followed his move on the rim to take third and Grafenberg grabbed fourth.

Alan Schwartz trains and owns Raceace, a 7-year-old gelding, who paid $4.80 to win.

RACEACE REPLAY

NAADA action is slated to continue on Wednesday (June 21) for the fourth preliminary at Monticello Raceway. First-race post time at Monticello is 12:10 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race results, click here.

by Ray Cotolo, for NAADA

OHHA TO LIVE STREAM QUALIFIERS FROM DELAWARE FAIRGROUND

Grove City, OH – The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) will live stream qualifying races from the Delaware County Fairgrounds Friday June 16.

 The live stream of the 14 scheduled qualifiers can be viewed on the OHHA Facebook page.  First race post time is scheduled for 9:00 AM.

The OHHA live stream is presented by The Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center, Hagemeyer Farms, Eldorado Scioto Downs.

by Frank Fraas, for the OHHA