A Day at the Races: Trainer Bernardini, Jockey Davis Each Record Three Win at Suffolk

Trainer Jay Bernardini and jockey Jacqueline Davis each enjoyed three-win days before an enthusiastic Belmont Stakes Day crowd of 8,333 at Suffolk Downs on Saturday, June 9.

Bernardini broke the ice for his first win of the season in the fifth race with Gesu ($10.20), ridden to victory by David Amiss. He and Amiss teamed up again to prevail by a head with Miss Shoppin Diva ($19.40) in the featured eighth race, a five and a half furlong allowance event. He swept the late double with Mock Me Not ($7.40) under Jacqueline Davis, who capped off her triple in the ninth as well.

Davis, who currently tops the jockey standings with eight victories, won the second race with Navy Nurse ($6.80) for George Saccardo and the seventh race with the Peter Bazeos-trained Breathtakingbreeze ($5.20) before completing her trifecta with Bernardini in the ninth.

Suffolk Downs honored four “Community Winner’s Circle” recipients for their positive contributions to their local communities. The track recognized the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston, the Revere Beautification Committee, the Viking Proud Foundation of Winthrop and HarborCOV of Chelsea.

The live racing schedule moves to a four-day week (Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat) starting next week.  First post time is 12:45 p.m. daily.

RHS girls track team posted many accomplishments

Although the 2012 edition of the Revere High girls track and field team did not post one of its better team records, Coach Peter DiGiulio’s Lady Patriots compiled a host of positive achievements that bode well for the future of a squad that was comprised mainly of underclassmen.

“We were a young team with only four seniors, but we were very competitive against most teams in our division, and recorded just shy of 80 personal best times and distances along the way,” noted DiGiulio.

The feats of Boston College-bound hurdler Racquel MacDonald have been well documented, but there were stellar contributions made by many other team members.

Junior Caitlyn Caramello, a repeat NEC All-Star, was second on the team in scoring with 49 points, scoring in every meet in multiple events. In the high jump Caitlyn consistently jumped close to five feet. The versatile Caramello, who is well known for her prowess on the basketball court, also scored in the mile, the 4 x 400 relay, and a new event for her, the javelin.

“Caitlyn is an excellent athlete who is primed to take a leadership role next year as a senior,” lauded DiGiulio.

Another junior, Jen Dandrow, showed great versatility by competing and scoring in a number of events including the 100, 200, 4 x 100 relay, long jump, triple jump, and the 100 meter high hurdles.

“Jen had personal best performances in each event by season’s end,” said DiGiulio. “She is very coachable and always is ready to help the team in any way that she can.”

Senior Kate Ferrante achieved All-Star status this year and also competed in multiple events, placing in the 400, 200, 4 x 400 relay, and triple jump. The other two seniors, Mondy Telfort and Liz Lam, also were point scorers,  Mondy in the 100 and the 4 x100 relay and Liz in the javelin.

Juniors Noelle Galli and Danielle Smith were consistent scorers in the throwing events. Nicole specialized  in the shot put and discus and Danielle in the shot put and javelin, where she established a personal record (PR) throw of 80 feet.

NEC All-Star sophomores Nikki Nelson and Comfort Toglan both showed steady improvement and established PRs in their respective events,  Nikki in the two mile and Comfort in the 100 and 200. Both girls also earned ribbons in the NEC league meet as part of a 6th place 4 X 400 relay team.

Junior Alanna Pasco lowered her time in the 800 all season long, and with some serious work, should make a run at the RHS record in her event as a senior next year.

Several other sophomores made significant contributions to the team. Jen Fajardo, though injured much of the season, scored in the sprint events and also ran a leg of the 4 x 100 relay. Jen also long jumped and achieved a PR in the triple jump.

Another 10th grader, Brenda Rudecindo, though also out much of the season with injuries, was the team’s second best hurdler behind MacDonald. Brenda also participated in the 4×100 relay.

Sophomore Jacqueline Pisano worked extremely hard on perfecting her hurdling technique and along with Rudecindo are the future of hurdling for the RHS girls at least for the next couple of years. “I’m confident that they will step up and be competitive throughout next year,” noted DiGiulio.

Taylor O’Neil (mile) and Victoria Guarino (800) showed marked improvement in their events and scored PRs throughout the season. “I expect big things from both of them next year,” said the coach.

Michelle Rokki and Sabrina Apel, a pair of 10th graders, both worked tirelessly on shaving seconds off their sprint times all season long. Second year sisters Danaira and Sindy Marodel both contributed in various events including the 100, 200, and two mile.

Rounding out the crew of promising Lady Patriot sophomore performers is shot putter and discus thrower Katie Tuck, who should step up into a varsity spot next year.

Finally, a host of first year girls made the scene and some ran varsity events from the very beginning. Danielle Fortuna, the most impressive of the bunch, was a varsity 800 runner all season and lowered her time in just about every meet. Danielle, as a freshman, came within striking distance of the RHS record in the 800.

“She’s not afraid to work hard and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if she sets a new school mark in her event, even as early as next year,” enthused DiGiulio.

Yesenia Orango is another freshman “who oozes athleticism,” continued the coach. “She tried several events before settling on two of the most grueling ones, the 400 intermediate hurdles and the open 400 run. Her work ethic is impressive and it tells me that she will make herself into a formidable track performer as early as her sophomore year.”

Vicky Acosta and Maria Ayala are two other first year team members who experimented with various events and will be ready to make contributions to the team when they return as sophomores.

Freshmen Nicole Marmol and Fiona Kerthi showed potential in the sprints. Immaculate Langat ran the mile and threw the javelin and scored points in both events during the season. She plans on trying the 400 hurdles as a sophomore to try to fill the large gap that MacDonald leaves.

Ariana Licata is a budding shot put and discus thrower who hopefully will follow in the footsteps of her graduating brother Vito who starred in the same two events on the boys team.

“In addition to what these girls achieved on the track, they are all great kids who are even more impressive in the classroom, as evidenced by the fact that the 35 young women on the team have an incredible cumulative grade point average of 3.94,” said DiGiulio. “I look forward to having them all back in 2013, and though we have some huge gaps to fill, I anticipate a solid showing in our division of the NEC next year.”

Fitzpatrick is 10th at all-state meet

Revere High star track man Mike Fitzpatrick concluded his stellar high school career with a 10th place finish at the All-State Meet in Fitchburg last Tuesday. Fitzpatrick, who qualified for the all-states by virtue of finishing sixth in the 800 with a time of 1:58.04 at the Division 1 State Meet two weeks ago, came across the tape in a time of 1:57.71.

The winning time was 1:51.99, which was a new meet record.