Fhld - YAROCK WINS BILLINGS AMATEUR TROT AT FREEHOLD ON SATURDAY

It isn’t a part of the C.K.G. Billings annual amateur driving series,  which has been in existence since the early 1980’s but the Billings Trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, March 17^th was, however, a race for  longtime Billings members  and sort of a prelude to the actual  competitions that usually start in late April  or early May.

But at  the former” Afternoon Delight”—a moniker no longer used by Freehold Raceway--- amateurs   anxious, perhaps spurred on by the wonderful weather we’ve had this winter,  just can’t wait until the actual seven month series gets underway.

So, led by Billings president Tony “the Capo” Verruso and abet ted by the folks at Freehold, a Billings Trot, carded as race  three on St. Patrick’s Day saw David “Steady As” Yarock wire the field  with  Rompaway Alvin and score a  1:59.2 triumph in the process. The margin of victory  for the 7-year-old Dream Vacation gelding was three-lengths..

Second place went  Ace Hill Hall in  rein to “Roundhouse Rob” Krivelin and president  Verruso took home the show dough with  Sam’s Honeybee.

Rompaway Alvin, owned by Yarock, paid $6.20 for win.

“There’s a good chance we may have more Billings preliminaries this spring before the actual competitions get underway,” Verruso  noted.  “With this warm weather many of the guys are champing on the bit and  looking to get back in the sulky.”