Last update:
Friday January 15, 2010 Series
Archives
Front
Row - (L-R) Dave Yarock, George Munniksma, Phil
Winkler, Harry Landy.
Back Row - Rich Timmerman, Miguel Lopez, Karyn
Malinowski, Tony Piserchia, John Regina, Neil
Goldstein, Bob Hechkoff (Photo courtesy of Monica
Thors)
There
is no hotter trend in Harness Racing than Amateur
Driving. Amateur races are now being contested at
every major track in the country. The American Harness Drivers Club
is right at
the forefront of this growth. The AHDC conducts races at
Freehold Raceway and The Meadowlands.
An amateur driver is someone who has never accepted
compensation for driving a third party's horse. Some
amateurs are very experienced horsemen holding 'A'
licenses; others are true novices. Whether experienced or
not, everyone agrees - there is no greater rush than
having one thousand pounds of horsepower propelling you
along at 35 mph on two ten-speed wheels !!
Each year, the AHDC organizes two pacing series at
Freehold Raceway, consisting of five legs on Saturday
afternoons. Depending on the number of entries, a
leg will split to two divisions. At the end of the
series, the drivers move to the Meadowlands for a $5,000
final.
So, if you want to find out what all of the excitement is
about, complete our Membership Application, shine up yourboots, polish your helmet and
prepare for the time of your life.
BOB HECHKOFF AND ART'S REGARDS
WIN THE 2010 WINTER PACING FINAL
BOB HECHKOFF AND ART'S REGARDS
ACCEPT THE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY FROM MR. & MRS. EUGENE LANDY AND SAM
LANDY
THE 2010 WINTER PACING FINAL
THE MEADOWLANDS
FRIDAY JANUARY 15, 2010
Cherry Hill, NJ - Veteran
amateur racer Bob Hechkoff steered
his own Art's Regards to victory for
trainer Jim Doherty, Jr. in
the American Harness Drivers Club's $4,000 2010
Winter Pacing Final on Friday January 15 at The
Meadowlands. This event pitted the top ten
drivers from the AHDC's abbreviated 2009 Fall Pacing
Series based on their finish in the two
divisions contested on Saturday November 28, 2009 at
Freehold Raceway.
The owner and president of Hechkoff Executive Search,
Inc. is certainly no stranger to the Meadowlands
Winners Circle as a member of the AHDC as he now has
several final championships to his credit. With the
victory in the Winter Pacing Final, the resident of
Manhattan, New York can now
add another bullet-point to his already
impressive driving resume.
Through the first three-quarters of the mile, Hechkoff
and Art's Regards had deftly worked a
textbook pocket trip behind the pacesetters John Regina and Jenna's
World. Washington, New Jersey's George Munniskma and his mount Ludi
Christy were hanging gamely first-over after an
overland trip, featuring a three-wide detour
around Karyn Malinowski and Hugme
Christi. Trapped on the outside from the
start, Dr. Malinowski had little choice but to make a
desperate attempt at the lead. By the
half-mile mark, Hugme Christi had called it a
night and was backing through the field.
As they wheeled around the turn and funneled into the
long Meadowlands home stretch, Regina was still
clinging to his advantage. On the outside,
Munniksma had come off the turn a bit wide,
creating the seam that Hechkoff had been waiting
for. Hechkoff seized the opportunity and wasted
little time in firing Art's Regards out from
the cones into the outer flow. With
plenty of gas left in the tank, Art's Regards
and Hechkoff easily sidestepped beyond
Munniksma to engage Regina and the now
battle-weary Jenna's World.
Jenna's World stubbornly fought to hold the
lead deep into the stretch, but could not hold off
the much fresher Art's Regards. In the
shadow of the wire, it appeared that Hechkoff was poised
to waltz home to victory. However, from the back in
the pack, Neil Goldstein had
shaken loose with Sinbad. They were moving like
a locomotive in the center of the
racetrack. Unfortunately, Goldstein's challenge
came up just short as Hechkoff and
Art's Regards passed under
the wire just a neck in front of the
hard-charging Sinbad to take victory and
the Winter Pacing Final Championship. Time of the
mile over a fast racing surface was 1:58 after fractions
of 28, 58.3 and 1:28 through
three-quarters. Munniksma took the show spot with Ludi
Christy while Regina and a fading Jenna's World
hung in for fourth.
Rounding out the participants were Billings Gold
Cup Champion Anthony Verusso and
It Fits, Phil Winkler
and Blazing Finale, Harry
Landy with Blue Man Group, Miguel Lopez behind Amano N,
David Yarock teaming with Heidi's
Character and Dr. Karyn
Malinowski with Hugme Christi.
RESULTS Art's Regards --- b g 12
Artsplace - Personal Regards - Nihlator Owned by RBH Ventures, New York, NY
- Trained by Jim Doherty, Jr. 28- - 1159.3 -- -
1:28.3- -- 1:58.0
HARRY LANDY & BLUE MAN
GROUP;
KARYN MALINOSKI WITH
HUGME CHRISTI TAKE DIVISIONS OF THE FALL PACING SERIES
HARRY LANDY AND BLUE MAN GROUP
KARYN MALINOWSKI AND HUGME
CHRISTI
THE 2009 FALL PACING SERIES
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ - In
early September, the future of the American Harness Drivers Club was at a crossroads. The Freehold
Raceway race office was operating in crisis
mode, trying to fill competitive fields as a
by-product of the current economic crisis in addition to
the overall state of Harness Racing in New Jersey.
With few options, Freehold's race secretary Karen
Fagliarone made a plea to club president Bernie Boland to consider a postponement, if not
a cancellation of the upcoming AHDC Fall Pacing
Series. Obligingly, the club agreed and it appeared
that the eighteen-year run that the AHDC had enjoyed at
Freehold Raceway was in jeopardy.
Fortunately, due to the ingenuity
and diligence of several members of the club
working behind the scenes with the Freehold race
office, a recent agreement has been hammered
out which permits the AHDC to resurrect at least a
portion of the Fall Pacing Series. As a
result, the American Harness Drivers Club happily
returned to action at Freehold Raceway with a
reconstituted 2009 Fall Pacing Series on Saturday
November 28th with two divisions of pacers and amateur
drivers.
Under warm but blustery conditions, the first
division found teenaged whiz kid Harry Landy picking up right where he left off in the 2009
Spring Pacing Series. Sitting comfortably in the
back of the six-horse field, Landy waited
until the parade had passed the three-quarter
mark to pull his mount Blue Man Group into
the outer flow. By the time they reached the top of
the lane, Landy had circled beyond all but the
leaders, Neil
Goldstein and Sinbad.
In mid-stretch, Goldstein tried to put up a
fight but it was to no avail as Sinbad had
little left in the tank. Landy and Blue Man
Group sailed by and hit the wire two-lengths to the
good, stopping the Freehold timer at 2:01.4 after
fractions of 29.2, 59.4 and 1:31.2. Goldstein and Sinbad
were second while Tony Verusso took the show
spot with It Fits. Early leaders John Regina
and Jenna's World finished fourth while Phil Winkler with Blazing Finale and Tom Reynolds steering Benzorama A rounded out the
order of finish.
In the second event, Karyn Malinowski led from
gate to wire with her own Hugme Christi. Ironically,
Dr. Malinowski was nearly forced to bow out of the
proceedings as the mount she had planned
to enter was injured in the field while Hugme
Christi had been previously committed into
another race. As racing luck would have it, Hugme
Christi drew in "Also Eligible",
giving Malinowski the opportunity to race with
the AHDC.
Along the way, Malinowski shrugged off a stubborn
early challenge from Dave Yarock and Heidi's
Character, then stiff-armed Miguel Lopez and Amano N in a hard fought
stretch duel to take the narrow victory. The
time of the mile was 2:02.3 after fractions of 29.1, 1:00
and 1:31. George Munniksma took the
show dough steering Ludi Christy in a solid
effort while Bob Hechkoff
behind Art's Regards,
Danielle Dailey with Summer Life N and Dave Yarock
with Heidi's Character round out the field.
The future of the AHDC, once very bleak, appears to
have taken a positive turn. There have been
preliminary discussions between the club and Freehold
Raceway, which proposes additional dates
in 2009, as well as the winter months of 2010
as conditions have become more favorable. There are
also plans for modified series "Final" at the
Meadowlands in early January. While
the details still need to be ironed-out and
documented, it appears that all indicators point to
the AHDC continuing its
support of amateur harness racing for both
the present and for some time to come.
RESULTS DIVISION I Blue Man Group --- b g
4 Bettor's Delight - Blue For You - No Nukes Owned by Eugene Landy, Rumson, NJ -
Trained by Stacy Chiodo 29.2- - 1159.4 -- -
1:31.2- -- 2:01.4
VIDEO REPLAY DIVISION
II Hugme Christi--- b m 8
Dream Away - Hugmeifyouloveme - No Nukes Owned by Karyn Malinowski, New
Brunswick, NJ - Trained by Earle Gale 29.1- - 111:00 -- -
1:31- -- 2:02.3
HARRY LANDY AND M'S EZ PASS
WIN THE SPRING PACING SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP
HARRY LANDY GUIDING M'S
EZ PASS TO VICTORY [Photo
by Lisa Photo Inc.]
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – June 5,
2009 – Harry Landy, who
won a division of the Billings Series in the afternoon at
Freehold, completed the amateur driving daily double by
capturing the American Harness
Drivers Club's 2009 Spring Pacing Series Final
with M's EZ Pass on Friday night, June 5 at the
Meadowlands.
Landy, 17, a junior at Monroe Township High School,
rallied M’s EZ Pass for a three-quarter
length victory over Royal Flush Shark, driven by
Brad Rathbone. Carmen Ciccone was third by three
and a quarter lengths with Blue Man Group.
Earlier in the day, Landy posted a wire-to-wire victory
with Honor The Cash who trotted the mile in
2:00.2 at Freehold.
Fighting the raindrops, Landy was sitting third at the
three-quarter mark behind leaders John
Regina steering Jingling and Dave Yarock with Sylvains
Friend. Turning for home, Landy tipped M's EZ
Pass to the outside and was quickly challenging for
the lead.
As the ten combatants fanned into the long Meadowlands
homestretch, Regina desperately asked Jingling
to hang on for just a few more yards. But it was not to
be as Jingling was fading fast, allowing Landy
to swoop in and take the lead. At the same time, Rathbone
was following right in Landy's wake as he had Royal
Flush Shark moving like a locomotive with an
aggressive bid from the outside.
However, it was too little too late for Rathbone as he
ran out of race track just as Landy and the nine-year-old
daughter of Pacific Fella, owned by his father
Sam, passed under the wire, three-quarters of a length to
the good, giving him his first AHDC series championship.
The mile was clocked in 1:58.3 after fractions of 28.4,
59.3 and 1:28.4 over a track made sloppy by a day-long
northeastern storm.
Carmen Ciccone, driving Blue Man Group for
Harry's grandfather Gene, surged up late from mid-pack to
take the show spot. Regina and Jingling hung on
for fourth. Rounding out the field were Miguel Lopez and Amano N
in fifth, Yarock and Sylvains Friend fell back
to finish sixth, Neil Goldstein and
Summer Life N finishing seventh followed by Nick Surick and El Nino
Hanover, George Munniskma
with Jimeoin N and Karyn
Malinowski with Jolee.
With the victory, Landy has captured the overall
combined points title, awarded to the driver gaining the
most series points after competing in the final, combined
with total points attained in the 2008 Fall Pacing
Series. He is now eligible to represent the AHDC in the
annual Tim Fouts Memorial Amateur Driving Championship,
traditionally held during Little Brown Jug week at the
Delaware, Ohio Fairgrounds in September.
The final marks the end of the 2009 Spring Pacing Series.
The AHDC is slated to return to action with the 2009 Fall
Pacing Series in late-September.
Check our official website often throughout the summer
months for all the latest news from the American Harness
Drivers Club.
A SPECIAL THANKS GO OUT TO CAROL
HODES OF THE NJ SBOA FOR PORTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
FINAL
THE MEADOWLANDS
FRIDAY JUNE 5, 2009
HARRY LANDY AND M'S EZ PASS
RETURNING TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE
THE LANDY FAMILY RECEIVE THE
CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
FROM THE AHDC's TONY PISERCHIA
RESULTS M'S Ez Pass --- br m 9
Pacific Fella - Freelancer - Direct Scooter Owned by Sam Landy, Monroe
Township, NJ - Trained by Stacy Chiodo 28.4- - 1159.3 -- -
1:28.4- -- 1:58.3
VIDEO REPLAY
MORE INFO AND RACE REPLAY TO FOLLOW !!!!
HARRY LANDY AND M'S EZ PASS;
NICK SURICK AND EL NINO HANOVER
WIN IN DIVISIONS OF LEG V
SERIES FINAL IS NEXT !!
HARRY LANDY AND M'S EZ PASS
NICK SURICK AND EL NINO HANOVER
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
LEG V
FREEHOLD RACEWAY
SATURDAY MAY 30, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ -
Monroe Township, New Jersey's Harry Landy
with M's EZ Pass and Freehold, New Jersey
trainer Nick Surick behind El Nino Hanover each took
come-from-behind victories in divisions of the fifth and
final preliminary leg of the American Harness Drivers Club's 2009 Spring Pacing Series on Saturday, May 30
at a sun splashed Freehold Raceway.
In the first event, Landy was sitting in the back of the
pack with M's Ez Pass as AHDC newcomer Danielle Dailey was leading the way with Nyoko Hanover.
Ms. Dailey had been on the engine
from the gate to the three-quarter marker, setting
fractions of 29.1, 1:00.3
and 1:31.1. Tony Piserchia and Cambar
were enjoying a pocket trip in second,
while Brad Rathbone
had tipped to the outside
with Royal Flush Shark and was
third.
As the field spun into the far turn,
Landy pulled the 9-year-old daughter of Pacific
Fella three-wide around Royal Flush Shark
and was now stalking the leaders. Turning
for home, M's Ez Pass was in full throttle and
made quick work of Nyoko Hanover, sailing by
with ease. Rathbone and Royal Flush Shark finally
found another gear and were hot on their tail while
Piserchia challenged from the passing lane.
However, M's EZ Pass was much the best
and had all the momentum, allowing Landy to waltz
home with a length and a quarter victory, giving him
his second score of the series. Time of the
mile was 2:00.1.
Brad Rathbone and a hard-charging Royal Flush Shark
were second while Tony Piserchia and Cambar were
third. Danielle Dailey with Nyoko
Hanover and George
Munniksma and Jimeoin N rounded
out the order of finish.
The second heat was nearly a carbon-copy of the first as Nick Surick waited in the back of the bus with El Nino
Hanover as John
Regina with Jingling
were battling with Dave Yarock and Sylvains
Friend for control of the front end. Neil Goldstein was sitting third with Summer Life N while
Miguel Lopez was second over with Amano N.
As they passed the three-quarter mark, Sylvains
Friend had packed it in after the rough early
going and was sliding backwards through the
field. Lopez used the opportunity to
maneuver Amano N up to challenge
Regina, giving Surick an opening to move El Nino
Hanover into the outer flow. With each powerful
stride, Surick asked El Nino Hanover for more,
and the 11-year-old gelded son of Artsplace
responded in kind.
Turning for home, Surick had circled the field
and was taking aim on Regina and Jingling.
They proved easy prey for Surick as Jingling was
beginning to show the affects of the
early cat-and-mouse game with
Yarock. In deep stretch, Surick
had El Nino Hanover moving like a
winner, opening up a three-length advantage. At the
wire, it was Surick and El Nino Hanover all
by themselves, with Regina and Jingling holding
on for second while Lopez and Amano N took the
show spot. Time of the mile was
2:00.4 after fractions of 29, 59.4
and 1:31 to the three-quarter mark.
Neil Goldstein and Summer Life N finished fourth
while Dave Yarock and a fading Sylvains Friend
rounded out the order of finish.
The top-ten point earning drivers from the
regular season series will now move on to The
Meadowlands as the AHDC will present the
2009 Spring Pacing Series Final to be contested
on Friday, June 5, 2009.
RESULTS Division
I M'S Ez Pass --- br m 9
Pacific Fella - Freelancer - Direct Scooter Owned by Sam Landy, Monroe
Township, NJ - Trained by Stacy Chiodo 29.1- - 111:00.3 -- -
1:31.3- -- 2:01.4
El
Nino Hanover --- b g 11 Artsplace - Electric Slide - Dragon's
Lair Owned by Jack Vitale, Manalapan, NJ
- Trained by Anna Glide 29- - 1159.4 -- -
1:31- -- 2:00.4
KARYN MALINOWSKI & JOLEE;
DAVE YAROCK & SYLVAINS FRIEND
WIN IN DIVISIONS OF LEG IV
KARYN MALINOWSKI AND JOLEE
DAVE YAROCK AND SYLVAINS FRIEND
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
LEG IV
FREEHOLD RACEWAY
SATURDAY MAY 9, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ - Dr. Karyn Malinowski, steering her own Jolee and Dave Yarock
with Sylvains Friend took divisional
honors in the fourth leg of the American Harness Drivers Club's 2009 Spring Pacing Series
on Saturday May 9 at Freehold
Raceway.
In the first event, Miguel Lopez and Amano N
fired from the starting gate and charged to the
lead. Malinowski followed and took a seat in second
behind the pacesetters while Harry Landy challenged
from the outside with M's EZ Pass. These
three stayed in formation through fractions of 29.2,
1:00.2 and 1:30.4 to the three-quarter mark.
Turning for home, Dr. Malinowski ducked her five-year-old
daughter of Artiscape into the passing lane to
challenge Lopez from the inside. In the meantime, Landy
and M's EZ Pass were fading after a brutal
first-over trip, never seeing the pylons.
With a quick burst, Jolee drew even then
rushed just beyond Amano N. Lopez,
hardly ready to concede, fought back valiantly in an
entertaining fight to the finish. However, Jolee
came with her 'A' game and was able to keep her head
in front as they passed under the wire, giving Malinowski
her first victory of the series. Time of the mile
over a fast Freehold racing surface was 2:01.
Neil Goldstein and Summer Life N rushed up late
and were also a part of the win photo, but had to
settle for the show spot. George Munniksma and Jimeoin
N were fourth while Harry Landy and M's EZ Pass rounded
out the order of finish.
In the second division, Dave Yarock and Sylvains
Friend set all the fractions then gamely fought off
a late hard-charging bid from Leg III winners Nick Surick and El Nino Hanover en-route to
a wire-to-wire victory. For Yarock, it was also
his first score of the season series. Time of the second
divsion mile was 2:02 after fractions of 30.2, 1:02.2
and 1:32.2 through three-quarters.
Surick and El Nino Hanover finished second while
Brad Rathbone and Royal Flush Shark were third.
Rounding out the field were Tony Piserchia behind Cambar and John Regina
with Jingling.
The American Harness Drivers Club will
return to action at Freehold Raceway with the fifth leg
of the 2009 Spring Pacing Series on
Saturday, May 23.
RESULTS Division
I
Jolee
--- b m 5 Artiscape - Lukes Peggy - Die Laughing Owned by Karyn Malinowski, New
Brunswick, NJ - Trained by Earle Gale 29.2- - 111:00.2 -- -
1:30.4- -- 2:01
Sylvains
Friend--- b g 10 Stritross - Treasure Kash - Treasure Reef Owned by David Yarock, Tenafly, NJ
- Trained by Jim Doherty, Jr. 30.2- - 111:02.2 -- -
1:32.2- -- 2:02
VIDEO REPLAY More Info to
Follow....Check Back Soon !!!
CARMEN CICCONE & HEEZACLOWN;
NICK SURICK AND EL NINO HANOVER
SCORE IN DIVISIONS OF LEG III
CARMEN CICCONE AND HEEZACLOWN
NICK SURICK AND EL NINO HANOVER
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
LEG III
FREEHOLD RACEWAY
SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ
- The American
Harness Drivers Club continues its
march through the spring as two divisions of pacers and
drivers went postward in the third leg of the 2009 Spring
Pacing Series on Saturday April 25 at Freehold
Raceway. South Salem, New York's Carmen Ciccone steered Heezaclown to victory in the
first heat for trainer Ned Urbanski while AHDC
newcomer Nicholas
Surick took the honors in the
second event behind El Nino Hanover for Anna Glide.
With summerlike temperatures hovering in the low 80's,
Ciccone grabbed an early lead in division one with Heezaclown.
He then comfortably led the parade around the historic
Freehold half-miler through fractions of 30.2, 59.3 and
1:29.2 to the three-quarter mark. Turning for home,
Neil Goldstein came from near the back of the pack to offer a
mild bid with Sammy Jo. However,
Ciccone and the seven-year-old Grandslam Cam
gelding proved much the best as they coasted away from
Goldstein en-route to an easy wire-to-wire
score. Final time of the mile was 1:59.2.
Goldstein finished second with Sammy Jo while Brad Rathbone took the show spot with Royal Flush Shark.
Tony Piserchia and Cambar, Dave Yarock with
Sylvains Friend and Danielle Dailey behind Nyoko Hanover round out the
order of finish.
In the second division, Bedminster,
New Jersey's John
Regina attempted and
nearly duplicated Ciccone's antics while
steering Jingling. However, Nicholas Surick, in his first start as a member of the AHDC had
other ideas. Nearing the top of the stretch,
the twenty-something Freehold, New Jersey resident and
mount El Nino Hanover were parked in third,
chasing both Regina and Harry Landy, who was
pocket-sitting in second with M's EZ Pass.
Down the lane, Regina and Jingling appeared to
have things well in hand and were poised to pull
away for an easy score. Suddenly, with
but a sixteenth of a mile separating them from victory, Jingling
began to run out of steam.
With a furious rush, both Surick and Landy took advantage
and pulled even with Regina. A three-horse charge
entertained the fans as they battled to the wire.
When the dust had settled, it was El Nino
Hanover getting up in the final strides to hit
the wire first, a neck to the good, giving Surick a win
in his first start with the AHDC. Landy and M's
EZ Pass were second while Regina and
a tiring Jingling took the show money. Time
of the mile was 1:59.2 after the earlier fractions of
28.1, 59.1 and 1:59.2.
Miguel Lopez made his seasonal debut with Amano N,
while Christopher
Corvasce with Pangenesis
and Dr. Karyn
Malinowski, steering her own Jolee,
round out the second division order of finish.
RESULTS Division
I
Heezaclown
--- br g 7 Grandslam Cam - Laag In Time - Laag Owned by Ned Urbanski Stables, LLC,
Sayreville, NJ - Trained by Ned Urbanski 30.2- - 1159.3 -- -
1:29.2- -- 1:59.2
El
Nino Hanover --- b g 11 Artsplace - Electric Slide - Dragon's
Lair Owned by Jack Vitale, Manalapan, NJ
- Trained by Anna Glide 28.1- - 1159.1 -- -
1:29.1- -- 1:59.2
HARRY LANDY & BLUE MAN
GROUP; NEIL GOLDSTEIN WITH SAMMY JO
WIN IN DIVISIONS OF LEG II
HARRY LANDY AND BLUE MAN GROUP
NEIL GOLDSTEIN AND SAMMY JO
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
LEG II
FREEHOLD RACEWAY
SATURDAY APRIL 11, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ- Two divisions of pacers and amateur
drivers braved the elements to compete in the second leg
of the American
Harness Drivers Club's 2009 Spring
Pacing series at a rainy, windswept Freehold Raceway on
Saturday April 11. Teenaged phenom Harry Landy
captured the first event, teaming with Blue Man Group
for trainer Jim
Porter, while AHDC veteran Neil Goldstein grabbed the nightcap, splashing to victory
with Sammy Jo for Ned Urbanski.
Division I found Landy comfortably fourth at
the half mile mark. He patiently watched as Bob Hechkoff and Sylvains Friend were hard at work
keeping Carmen
Ciccone and Heezaclown
parked first over in a showdown for the top
spot. John
Regina was pocket sitting in
third with Jingling while George Munniksma, the winner of Leg I was fifth with Jimeoin
N.
Wheeling into the backstretch, Landy flipped the
switch and tipped Blue Man Group out to a
second-over position, ready to engage the leaders while
at the same time trapping Regina along the cones. As
the battle continued to rage down the
backstretch and into the far turn, Hechkoff and
Ciccone were still locked head-and-head for the
lead. However, it was evident that the war had
visibly taken the sting out of Sylvains Friend
and Heezaclown.
Turning for home, Landy pulled into the center of the
racetrack, easily overtaking the tiring leaders.
Regina, now hopelessly locked in behind
the now-fading Sylvains Friend, could only
watch in Landy's exhaust. Munniksma found an
opening and slid into the passing
lane to challenge from the
inside. However, Jimeoin N could not
keep up with the hard-charging Blue Man Group,
who easily pulled away to hit the wire, an open
length victor. Time of the soggy first
division mile was 2:04.4, after fractions of 30.2, 1:01.2
and 1:33 flat to the three quarters. The win gave the
high school student from Monroe Township,
New Jersey his second victory as a member of
the American Harness Drivers Club in this, his second
season of competition.
A judges' inquiry showed that Munniksma had tried to
lengthen the passing lane by straddling a few more of the
pylons than allowed, disqualifying him and Jimeoin N
from second to fifth. This placed Hechkoff second
with Sylvains Friend, Ciccone third with Heezaclown
and Regina fourth with Jingling.
With the rain falling heavier and steadier in
the second division, Phil Winkler, making his
first start of the series, tried to take the contest
wire-to-wire with Poker Oak. East
Brunswick, NJ's Neil
Goldstein shadowed his every move
with Sammy Jo. At the five-eights marker,
Goldstein pulled the five-year-old Dragon Again
mare to the outside to state his intentions. Brad
Rathbone, also making his return to the AHDC ranks,
followed closely on the inside with Royal Flush
Shark. These three stayed in formation as they
spun around the far turn and hit the top of the lane.
Turning for home, it was Winkler sandwiched
between Goldstein on the outside and Rathbone in the
passing lane in a classic and entertaining fight to the
finish. When the dust, or in this case mud had
settled, it was Goldstein and Sammy Jo pulling
ahead of a tiring Poker Oak and outlasting a
charging Rathbone and Royal Flush Shark to reach
the wire about a half length to the good. Time of
the mile was a raindrop-dodging 2:06.3 after fractions of
31.1, 1:05 and 1:36.1.
Winkler took the show dough with Poker Oak while
AHDC newcomers Danielle
Dailey with Summer Life N
and Christopher
Corvasce taking the lines behind Pangenesis,
rounded out the order of finish.
The American
Harness Drivers Club returns
to action at Freehold Raceway with the third leg of
the Spring Pacing Series on
Saturday, April 25.
RESULTS Division
I
Blue
Man Group --- b g 4 Bettor's Delight - Blue For You - No Nukes Owned by Eugene W. Landy, Rumson,
NJ - Trained by Jim Porter 30.2- - 111:01.2 -- -
1:33- -- 2:04.4
Sammy
Jo --- br m 4 Dragon Again - Keystone Hera - Albatross Owned by The Ned Urbanski Stable,
Sayreville, NJ - Trained by Ned Urbanski 31.1- - 111:05 -- -
1:36.1- -- 2:06.3
GEORGE MUNNIKSMA AND JIMEOIN N TAKE THE SPRING SERIES OPENER
GEORGE MUNNIKSMA AND JIMEOIN N
THE 2009 SPRING PACING SERIES
LEG I
FREEHOLD RACEWAY
SATURDAY MARCH 28, 2009
Cherry Hill, NJ -
Washington, New Jersey's George Munniksma, teaming
with Jimeoin N, surged to victory as the American Harness Drivers Club raised the flag on its 17th year of amateur
racing at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, March 29 with
first leg of the 2009 Spring Pacing Series.
A blustery, steely gray morning set the
stage as the field, reduced to eight due to a late
scratch, lined up to face starting judge Bob
Blum. John
Regina, steering Jingling and
Bob Heckhoff with Sylvain's Friend floated out from
post one and two respectively to duel for the early
advantage. Harry
Landy, in the trailer position,
followed with Blue Man Group while
Munniksma took a spot with Jimeoin N along the
cones in fourth.
The leaders stayed in position until the five-eights
marker when a fading Sylvains Friend began
to fall behind the pace. Munniksma, now third and with
plenty of horse, pulled the Walton Hanover
gelding to the outside, taking aim on
Regina. Spinning into the far turn, Munniksma
and Jimeoin N had edged beyond Landy
and had pulled head and head with the
leaders.
Entering the stretch, Jingling began to feel the
effects of the early speed and was no match for the
fresher Jimeoin N. However, Landy had
saved all the ground in a textbook pocket trip with Blue
Man Group and was stubbornly challenging Munniksma
in the passing lane. In a classic stretch drive,
Landy and Munniksma put on quite a show. But, as
the real estate dwindled from yards to feet, a very
game Jimeoin N kept his head in front and hit
the wire first giving Munniksma the victory, his first in
competition with the AHDC.
Time of the mile over a damp Freehold Raceway racing
surface was 2:02.1 after fractions of 29, 1:00.4, and
1:31.3 through three-quarters of a mile. Coming on
late to take the show dough was Neil Goldstein and Sammy Jo. Joe De Martine and Bring The Pain finished fourth
while Regina and Jingling fell back to
fifth. Rounding out the order of finish were Carmen Ciccone guiding Heezaclown, Dave Yarock holding
the lines behind Heidi's
Character and early the challengers
Bob Heckhoff with Sylvains Friend.
The American Harness Drivers Club returns to action at Freehold Raceway with
the second leg of the Spring Pacing Series on
Saturday, April 11.
RESULTS Jimeoin N --- b g 11
Walton Hanover - Joyable - Able Bye Bye Owned by Jacob C. Yannetta,
Somerset, NJ - Trained by Kerin Warner 29- - 111:00.4 -- -
1:31.3- -- 2:02.1
POINT STANDINGS Final 2009 Spring Series
Standings
DRIVER
LEG I
MARCH 28, 2009
LEG II
APRIL 11, 2009
LEG III
APRIL 25, 2009
LEG IV
May 9, 2009
LEG V
May 30, 2009
FINAL
TBA
TOT
PTS
HARRY
LANDY
8
10
6
1
10
20*
55
NEIL
GOLDSTEIN
6
10
6
3
2
4
31
NICHOLAS
SURICK
-
-
11
5
10
3
29
BRAD
RATHBONE
-
5
4
3
5
10
27
CARMEN
CICCONE
3
3
11
-
-
8
25
JOHN
REGINA
4
2
4
1
5
7
23
DAVE
YAROCK
2
-
2
10
1
5
20
GEORGE
MUNNIKSMA
13
1
-
2
1
2
19
MIGUEL
LOPEZ
-
-
3
5
3
6
17
KARYN
MALINOWSKI
-
-
1
10
-
1
12
TONY
PISERCHIA
-
-
3
2
3
-
8
BOB
HECHKOFF
1
5
-
-
-
6
DANIELLE
DAILEY
-
2
1
-
2
-
5
JOE
DE MARTINE
5
-
-
-
-
5
PHIL
WINKLER
-
3
-
-
-
-
3
CHRISTOPHER
CORVASCE
-
1
2
-
-
-
3
* 5
Bonus Points for Victory in the Series Final
FINAL COMBINED STANDINGS WITH
FALL 2008 CARRYOVER POINTS
DRIVER
FALL
POINTS
LEG I
LEG II
LEG III
LEG IV
LEG V
FINAL
TOT
PTS
HARRY
LANDY
29
8
10
6
1
10
20
84
NEIL
GOLDSTEIN
34
6
10
6
3
2
4
65
BOB
HECHKOFF
53
1
5
-
-
-
-
59
DAVID
YAROCK
38
2
-
2
10
1
5
58
JOHN
REGINA
20
4
2
4
1
5
7
43
MIGUEL
LOPEZ
22
-
-
3
5
3
6
39
NICHOLAS
SURICK
-
-
-
11
5
10
3
29
BRAD
RATHBONE
-
-
5
4
3
5
10
27
GEORGE
MUNNIKSMA
10
13
1
-
2
1
1
26
TONY
PISERCHIA
17
-
-
3
2
3
-
25
CARMEN
CICCONE
-
3
3
11
-
-
8
25
JOE
DE MARTINE
15
5
-
-
-
-
-
20
RICH
TIMMERMAN
13
-
-
-
-
-
-
13
KARYN
MALINOWSKI
-
-
-
1
10
-
1
12
ERIC
TADDEO
7
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
DANIELLE
DAILEY
-
-
2
1
-
2
-
5
PHIL
WINKLER
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
3
TOM
REYNOLDS
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
CHRISTOPHER
CORVASCE
-
-
1
2
-
-
-
3
DAVE YAROCK ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH
OF A NEW SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Cherry Hill, New Jersey -
David Yarock, co-president of Financial Access Network,
an estate and financial planning firm based in Tenafly
NJ, is pleased to announce the formation of the Edward
Weiner and Edward Yarock Equine Scholarship Fund. The
mission of the fund is to assist individuals associated
within the harness racing community in their pursuit of
higher education.
Yarock, an amateur driver and recent winner of
the American
Harness Drivers Club’s 2008
Spring Pacing Series final has created the fund, named in
honor of his father and late father-in-law, as a means
for giving back to the sport of harness racing.
These scholarships
will be available to those pursuing higher education
related to the harness racing industry as well as those
currently employed in the business, along with their
family members. It is Yarock’s intent to build this
program into the largest scholarship fund available to
the industry.
Yarock hopes to have
the funds available for September or January.
For more information,
contact Mr. Yarock at (201) 567-7957 or e-mail dyarock@aol.com.
PROCEDURES FOR CALLING IN ENTRIES
ENTRIES ARE TO
BE CALLED IN TO THE AHDC OFFICE ON TUESDAY EVENINGS
NO LATER THAN
8:00 PM FOR THAT WEEK'S RACING
PHONE
(732) 671 - 4632
WHEN
LEAVING A PHONE MESSAGE, REMEMBER:
SPEAK SLOWLY, SPELL OUT
HORSE'S NAME, DRIVER'S NAME AND TRAINER'S NAME
SPECIFY CURRENT CONDITIONS
HORSE IS NOW RACING UNDER
(I.E. NON-WINNERS OF....OR
$6,000 CLAIMER, ETC.)
THE AHDC RECORD
BOOK A Statistical Almanac
Documenting the History of the
American Harness Drivers Club Click Here
ATTENTION
AHDC MEMBERS !!!
TIM FOUTS MEMORIAL
CHAMPIONSHIP
QUALIFICATIONS POLICY
The honor of representing the American Harness Drivers Club at the annual
Tim Fouts Memorial Amateur Championship in Delaware, Ohio
will go to the points champion of a combined Fall and subsequent
Spring Pacing Series.
Additionally, a five (5) point bonus will be awarded to the
winner of each series final.
