Polansky and Calabrese top amateur contests

FREEHOLD, N.J.— Mike Polansky grabbed the lead and clung to victory while John Calabrese jogged down the highway to take their respective $9,000 harness racing divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 7).

In the first division, Polansky inherited the lead with My Big Kadillac (Kadabra) after odds-on favorite Keystone Apache (driven by Bob Hechkoff) broke stride past a :29.1 first quarter. My Big Kadillac held the front to a 1:00.1 half and coasted to three-quarters in 1:30 with Masster Blue (Anthony Verruso) looming to challenge from the pocket.

Masster Blue pulled and laid aim on My Big Kadillac in the lane, but My Big Kadillac held his ground to win by a neck in 2:01.1. Dingle (Yogi Sheridan) finished third and Fashion On A Star (Helene Englbom) took fourth.

Mike Polansky owns and trains My Big Kadillac, a 9-year-old gelding. He paid $12 to win.

MY BIG KADILLAC REPLAY

Allindotime (Andover Hall) and John Calabrese took the shortest route of everyone around the Freehold oval to post a munchy 1:59.1 jogburger in the other division.

Calabrese charged Allindotime for the front to post a :28.4 quarter and put his competitors immediately on the ropes. Southwind Frost (Bob Hechkoff) made a mild move first over into a 1:00.1 half – a strong enough breather for Allindotime that made him uncatchable in the backhalf. By three-quarters in 1:29.1, Calabrese sealed the knockout by two lengths over pocket-sitter Drazzmatazz (Yogi Sheridan) with Winneress (Anthony Verruso) holding third and Southwind Frost settling for fourth.

Bill MacKenzie trains Allindotime, an 8-year-old gelding, for owner Alma Iafelice. He paid $3.20 to win.

ALLINDOTIME REPLAY

AHDC action resumes next Saturday (Oct. 14) at Freehold Raceway with the fifth preliminary of 15 for its Fall Trotting Series, which culminates in a $15,000 final on New Year’s Eve at Harrah’s Philadelphia. First-race post time at Freehold Raceway is 12:30 p.m. (EDT).

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

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC