John Calabrese wins the harness drivers trot

Freehold, NJ—For the third time in the last four weeks John Calabrese has won the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway. On Saturday, Dec. 5 he guided aptly named Slated To Win to a gate to wire 2:01.3 triumph over a sloppy race course. And each of Calabrese's recent harness racing driving victories was with a different trotter.

Sent off as the betting favorite from the five-hole Calabrese gunned  his charge immediately to the lead and they had two lengths on the field when the quarter mile timer flashed :29.1. Matt Zuccarello, who had the pole position with Splashed, was content to let Calabrese cut the fractions and once alone on the front-end Calabrese let his trotter ramble and they passed the half-way  point in :59.

At the third stanza in 1:29.3 it was apparent that Slated To Win was going to be living up to his name and the 4-year-old Uncle Peter gelding drew-off to an oh-so-easy 3-1/2-length triumph. With a strong late rally, Allindotime, in rein to Joe Lee, came from far back to finish second; a nose ahead of Zuccarello and Splashed.

It was Calabrese's sixth seasonal triumph and the 74^th of his amateur driving career.

 And for Slated To Win, a grandson of Cantab Hall it was his 4th seasonal triumph and he returned a $5.40 win mutuel. He's owned by George Beck and trained by Terry Morgan. .

 

by John Manzi for the AHDC