Freehold, NJ-– Last week in the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway harness racing driver John Calabrese and Shoemaker Hanover had road trouble and finished off the board. However today, in this week’s edition, Calabrese benefited from a perfect covered journey to rally to a 1:59.3 triumph over Drazzmatazz, the trotter that won this event last Saturday.
A late scratch and only six horses behind the starting gate proved beneficial for Drazzmatazz after Tony Verruso hustled the veteran to the lead from post six. The :28.4 first panel forced the rest of the field to settle in behind the leader.
Heading to the halfway point Dave Offenberg moved the betting favorite, Broadway Bruiser, off the pylons and charged alongside Drazzmatazz and they raced as a team by the half in :59.4 and they were still heads apart as they passed the third stanza in 1:30 before Broadway Bruiser began to tire.
That allowed Shoemaker Hanover who was traveling second along the pylons to have a clear shot at the leader and when they rumbled for home Calabrese’s trotter was the strong horse and rallied to a solid one-length victory over Verruso’s charge. Third money went to Exuberance who was driven by Paul Minore.
Shoemaker Hanover, a 7 year old son of Cantab Hall is owned and trained by Tracy Tarantino. Sent off as second choice in the field he returned a $6.40 win mutuel.
by John Manzi, for the AHDC