With the victory, Ciccone has clinched the top spot in the overall point standings. He is now eligible to represent the club in the Tim Fouts Memorial Amateur Championship to be raced during Little Brown Jug week in Delaware, Ohio.

Ciccone watched from the middle of the pack as a front end battle was taking shape with Lyndhurst, New Jersey's Phil Winkler leading the way through the first half mile with Cambar. Anthony Verruso shadowed every Winkler move with State Affair while Neil Goldstein sat just behind with Sand D'Laney in third. John Regina came first-up with Brookletshappyhour while an abortive attempt to take control left Brad Rathbone and Raider's Revenge hung on the outside, three-wide as the field moved through the backstretch.

Wheeling into the far turn, Winkler and Cambar still held the lead with Verruso and State Affair right on their tail. Raider's Revenge could not keep up with the pace and began taking Rathbone backwards. Goldstein and Regina held their ground and were ready to make a strike while Ciccone and Chips Treasure were being entertained by the show unfolding in front of them.

Turning for home, Winker sensed trouble as Cambar was beginning to run out of gas. He desperately tried to will his Cam's Card Shark gelding to find just a little bit more. Unfortunately for Winkler, it was not to be as one by one, the challengers each took their shot.

Down the stretch, it was Verruso who came after Winkler first and was able to sneak by on the outside. Then, Goldstein tipped out with Sand D'Laney while Regina rushed up on the outside with Brookletshappyhour. It was then that Ciccone finally got Chips Treasure rolling only to find a wall of horses in front of them.

Goldstein had taken a slim lead over Verruso and Regina as real estate was beginning to run out. Then, just when it appeared that Ciccone was locked in for good, a seam opened up between horses and he deftly squeezed Chips Treasure through. In the final steps, Ciccone asked his mount for one final burst. In dramatic fashion, Chips Treasure got to the wire first a nose in front of Goldstein and Sand D'Laney. Regina and Brookletshappyhour took the show spot while a late rally gave club President Bernie Boland fourth place with Ashcott El N, followed by Bob Hechkoff and Whitsunday Beach who finished fifth.

Winkler and Cambar finished sixth while a very tired State Affair fell back to seventh with Verruso. Rounding out the order were Monica Thors with According To Hoyle, Karyn Malinowski and her BJ's Zephyr while Brad Rathbone dropped back after a very rough trip with Raider's Revenge to end the story.

LEG II
APRIL 7, 2007

FALL '06
CARRYOVER

LEG II
APRIL 7, 2007

In Division I, Winkler and Cambar took over the lead from Joe Froelich with Greenmeansgo with a quick brush as the field approached the half mile marker. Following right on Winkler's heels was Carmen Ciccone and Chip's Treasure. The race then evolved into a two-horse duel as they opened up a sizable lead on the rest of the pack, spinning into the backstretch.

In what became nearly a replay of Ciccone's Leg IV triumph, Winkler held a tenuous one-length margin as they wheeled around the final turn for home. Ciccone made every attempt to repeat as these two engaged in a dramatic battle to the wire. However, Winkler and Cambar stubbornly held their ground, refusing to give up even an inch. Winkler and Cambar, taking a measure of revenge, got to the wire first a length to the good.

Time of the mile over a fast Freehold half mile racing surface was 2:00.1 after fractions of 30, 1:01.4 and 1:30.2. Israel Galarza and Spiritus took the show spot.

Brad Rathbone and Princess Nikki, Karyn Malinowski with her BJ's Zephyr and Joe Froelich with Greenmeansgo rounded out the order of finish.

Turning for home, Brookletshappyhour had nothing left in the tank after his long trip on the outside, allowing Thors and According to Hoyle to pull away. Boland attempted a late rally with Ashcott El N, but could not gain any real estate on the leader. Approaching the wire and with little doubt as to the outcome, Thors jubilantly pumped her fist into the air and let out a yell in celebration.

Thors took her first victory of the series, a length in front of Boland. After fractions of 29.4, 59.3, and 1:29.2 to the three quarters, the timer stopped at 1:59.1. Don Hicks came on late with a move into the passing lane with Sand D'Laney to finish third.

Neil Goldstein and Juicebox Danny, Regina with Brookletshappyhour and Tim Wolf in his first AHDC start with Another Lady completed the order of finish.

The focus now turns to the Meadowlands as The American Harness Drivers Club returns to action with the 2007 Spring Pacing Series Final on Wednesday June 6th.

John Regina notched his first victory of the series steering Brookletshappyhour while Carmen Ciccone scored for the third time with Chip's Treasure as the American Harness Drivers Club returned to Freehold Raceway on Saturday, May 19th with the fourth leg of the 2007 Spring Pacing Series.

In Division I, Regina, a senior VP of Human Resources for Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ had the advantage of starting from post one behind starting judge Bob Blum. As the gate pulled away, so did Regina. A few quick pacing strides later, he had eased his five year old gelded son of Lumber Hanover out to a three length lead and never looked back. His closest challengers, Bob Hechkoff and Whitsunday Beach took up the chase in an attempt to pull them back to the pack. However, it was not to be as Regina and Brookletshappyhour were much the best and cruised around the Freehold oval, barely breaking a sweat.

Turning for home, Hechkoff vainly attempted one last rally but Regina had already put the whip away. He waltzed Brookletshappyhour down the lane and under the wire, a length and a half to the good. Time of the mile over a fast track was 2:01.1 after fractions of 29.1, 59.4 and 1:31 flat to the three-quarter mark.

Monica Thors and According to Hoyle finished third while BJ's Zephyr and Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Sand D'Laney with Don Hicks and Spiritus steered by Israel Galarza rounded out the order of finish.

The late scratch of Brad Rathbone's scheduled mount Mighty Tattler left a field of four to contest in the second division. Before anyone could blink, Lyndhurst, New Jersey's Phil Winkler had blasted Cambar out from behind the gate to open a quick five length lead. Unfortunately for Winkler, no one was conceding at this early stage. Neil Goldstein with Juicebox Danny and Joe Froelich steering Ashcott El N kicked it up into another gear and had all but closed the gap, passing the half-mile marker. In the meantime, Ciccone was patiently lying in the weeds in fourth, waiting for his turn to strike with Chip's Treasure.

As they fanned into the backstretch, Winkler was still clinging to a tenuous lead over Goldstein and a now laboring Juicebox Danny. Ashcott El N had already packed it in for the day and was now sliding backwards This was the just the signal that Ciccone was waiting for. Nearing the three-quarter mark, he tipped Chip's Treasure to the outside and easily dismissed Goldstein and had now set his sights on Winkler.

In a classic head-to head battle, Cambest bravely tried to fend off Chip's Treasure. Unfortunately, the early display of speed had left him with little left in the tank. A crack or two on the sulky shaft was all Ciccone needed. Chip's Treasure found that one last burst to push beyond Cambest and under the wire to take the victory, their third of the series. Time of the mile was 1:59.1 after fractions of 28.3, 59.2 and 1:29.4. Goldstein and Juicebox Danny finished third while Froelich and Ashcott El N rounded out the order of finish.

As the weather finally caught up with the calendar, Dr. Karyn Malinowski, teaming with her own BJ’s Zephyr and Carmen Ciccone with Chip’s Treasure each scored a victory in divisions of the third leg of the American Harness Drivers Club’s 2007 Spring Pacing Series at Freehold Raceway on a glorious Saturday April 21.

In the first heat, the Director of the famed Equine Science Center at Rutgers Universities’ Cook College slid BJ’s Zephyr into a spot just behind noted harness racing photographer, Monica Thors. Thors had fired According To Hoyle out from the gate to take an early lead, holding off challenges from John Regina steering BrookletsHappyHour and Bernie Boland with Know Stones.

As the field passed in front of the stands, Malinowski had closed the gap. With BJ’s Zephyr’s nose now pasted to Thors’ helmet, Regina had little choice but to take the long way home, with Boland also in the outer flow, second over.

Wheeling into the backstretch, Thors started to pick up the pace and opened up a sizable lead with According To Hoyle in an attempt to pull away from the group. However, Malinowski was having none of it and kept Thors in the crosshairs.

As the parade approached the three-quarter marker, both BrookletsHappyHour and Know Stones were struggling to keep pace. Brad Rathbone, who had been following just behind Malinowski with Dirty Harry seemed to be gearing up, ready to mount a charge. Unfortunately, his teammate ran into a little traffic trouble and broke stride. This left Thors and Malinowski to battle in what became a two-horse race.

Turning into the stretch, Thors and According To Hoyle were still clinging to a shrinking lead. Malinowski pulled to the outside and began a drive to the wire. In a classic finish, the two acclaimed women of Harness Racing battled down the lane. With real estate dwindling from yards to feet, Malinowski asked BJ’s Zephyr for one final burst. Courageously, the four-year old gelded son of Western Hanover obliged, squeezing beyond According To Hoyle just before passing under-the-wire, to score a dramatic victory.

Time of the mile over a fast Freehold’s racing oval was 2:01.2 after fractions of 29.2, 1:00.2 and 1:31.2 through three quarters.

Regina and BrookletsHappyHour hung in for third while AHDC newcomer Don Hicks came up late to finish fourth with Sand D’laney. Rounding out the order of finish were Rathbone with Dirty Harry and Boland steering Know Stones.

Funneling into the backstretch, Ciccone found clearance and tipped to the outside. He and Chip’s Treasure easily overtook both Froelich and Galarza and proceeded to open a huge lead. By the top of the lane, the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Neil Goldstein and Great Escape shook loose to make a late charge. However, Ciccone and Chip’s Treasure had everything all their way as they waltzed home to take a four and a half length victory, their second of the series. The winners stopped the timer at 1:58.3, after fractions of 29.3, 59.3 and a flat 1:29 through the three quarters.

Galarza and Spiritus managed to hang on for third while Phil Winkler and Raider’s Revenge came up and finished fourth. Froelich and Greenmeansgo fell back to fifth while "Doc" Sam Sbarra and Lisselton never got it going and rounded out the order of finish

As Bob Blum's starting car pulled away from the first division field, "Doc" Sbarra eased Lisselton into position just behind AHDC newcomer Anthony Verruso and State Affair who had jumped out to take the early lead. Shadowing behind Sbarra in third was club president Bernie Boland, guiding Know Stones. Wheeling into the backstretch, these three racing teams began to open a sizable lead on the pack and quickly made the contest into a three-horse race.

Verruso, an accomplished New York-area horseman, looked very comfortable as he and State Affair were setting the tone. They towed the threesome along in front of the grandstand, beyond the half mile marker and into the clubhouse turn. However, this all came with a price and Sbarra knew it as he was sitting a perfect trip, using Verruso as a shield against the brunt of the elements.

As the train rumbled into the back-straight towards the three-quarter mark, Boland deftly began an assault on the lead by tipping Know Stones to the outside in an attempt to circle around both Sbarra and Verruso. However, the two leaders stubbornly held their ground forcing Boland to race uncovered on the outside, pacing right into the teeth of an icy gale.

Spinning around the turn and into the stretch, Verruso was still clinging to a one-length lead, setting up an exciting drive to the wire. With time running out, Sbarra alertly pulled Lisselton into the passing lane. With plenty of gas left in the tank, they moved up along the inside while Boland battled from the outside. State Affair gamely tried to hold on but it was Sbarra and Lisselton getting up in the final strides to take a dramatic victory. Boland and Know Stones were also there in the picture taking the show money. Time of the mile was 2:02.1 after fractions of 28.3, 1:00.2, and 1:31.2.

Carmen Ciccone came on late to finish fourth with Leg I winner Chips Treasure. Joe Froelich was next with his own Greenmeansgo. Monica Thors finished sixth with According To Hoyle while Don Hicks rounded out the order in his first AHDC start with Sand D'Laney.