Canton native Antonio Vecchio, 22, secured his first and second career harness racing wins in the New York State Sire Stakes at the Franklin County Fair in Malone on Monday.
Vecchio was the driver for Sharky Bay Thunder and finished with a time of 2:09.1 in the two-year-old pacing colts race. Sharky Bay Thunder is trained by Karen Smith Ashley
Immediately following the first contest, Vecchio placed first driving Sharkeera with a time of 2:07.2 in the three-year-old pacing fillies race. Sharkeera is trained by Sam Sergi of Sergi’s Stables in Canton, who is Vecchio’s grandfather.
Both winning horses are sires of Bay of Sharks, who was raised and trained by Sergi at Sergi’s Stables.
For Vecchio, a Clarkson graduate who spent his free time near home at the stables, this win has been a long time coming after years spent learning the sport from his family.
“I really started working when I was 17 throughout the summers and racing with my grandfather at Vernon Downs in Saratoga all up through Canada in Ottawa and Toronto,” Vecchio said. “These past three years I have really gotten involved working toward getting my license and now I have my first career win and hoping for many more.”
That family connection made winning near his hometown all the more special.
“My grandfather taught me to train when I was about 13 years old. I would come on the weekends and learn to drive and take care of horses,” Vecchio recalled. “This race was a great opportunity to win in front of our hometown fans, and I had all my friends and family there to enjoy this beautiful moment in the winner’s circle.”
Vecchio will race next at the New York Sire Stakes at the St. Lawrence County Fair on Thursday, and races begin at noon. Vecchio says he hopes to see more familiar faces in the stands.
“It’s really cool to have the fairs in our hometown,” he said. “It gives people a chance to see what we do out of town at the big race tracks right here close to home and gets more people involved with the sport. It’s a great time for the young kids.”
