NAADA final to benefit Juvenile Diabetes won by longshot

April 08, 2009

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Yonkers Raceway had a race with two winners Tuesday night -- and there wasn\'t a dead-heat in sight as the $12,000 final of the North American Amateur Drivers Association was won by 14-1 outsider Valcyon Days (Anthony Verruso), who launched a big move in and out of the final turn to prevail by two lengths in 2:04.2.

The 6-year-old Dream Vacation gelding, trained by Gary Messenger for co-owners Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger, returned $31.80 for his first win in eight seasonal starts. Iroquoindianmagic (Alan Schwrtz) was second, with Arsonman (George Casale) third.

The bigger winner was the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which received a $5,000 check from the NAADA. The amount represented all driving and starting fees through the nine-race competition, held at both Yonkers and Monticello Raceways. Accepting the check was Katherine Cintron, executive director of the Westchester County JDRF chapter.

\"Our goal is to cure juvenile diabetes and its complications through support and research,\" Cintron said. \"We appreciate the efforts of the racetracks and the drivers.\"

According to Cintron, juvenile--or Type 1--diabetes affects three million children and young Americans, with 246 million people worldwide suffering from some form of diabetes. The JDRF raised $156 million in 2008, and more than $1.3 billion since the organization was founded--by parents of children with the disease--in 1970.

\"It is with great pride that the NAADA, with encouragement from Yonkers Raceway general manager Bob Galterio, presents the JDRF chapter with this check,\" association president Joe Faraldo said. (Yonkers)

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