Robert Krivelin, three-time Amateur Driver of the Year by voting of the U.S. Harness Writes Association, showed that he could “beat the pros” as well, on Sunday, July 18th, at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, bringing home the trotter Blintz, the longest shot on the board, to her maiden victory and returning a tasty $118 to win.
Krivelin got away second from the rail with his homebred daughter of Credit Winner (he races as the “Hero Stables”), then moved outside to challenge pacesetting Mrvelosity Hanover nearing the ¾. Marion My Way joined these two in the Pocono Pike for the stretch drive, but it was Krivelin and Blintz, winless in 10 previous starts, who had the most late, gaining into the 58.4 back half to win in 1:59.1 by ¾ of a length over Marion My Way, who edged Mrvelosity Hanover for the deuce.
The $118 win payoff was the third-highest of the Pocono meet, and the win for trainer/driver Krivelin made him only the third horseman to control both sides of a $50+ winner (Brandon Simpson and Charlie Norris are the other two).
Krivelin, a resident of “The Cradle of the Trotter,” Goshen NY, has 175 career driving victories, and has posted four seasons where his UDR was .300 or better. Not coincidentally, three of those four years (2001, 2012, and 2014) were the three occasions of his being named Amateur Driver of the Year by USHWA.