Could it be that Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford is tuning
up for his jaunt to Helsinki, Finland in early July for the World Cup of
Amateur Racing Championship, or is it that he just enjoys winning races,
something he’s done plenty of over the past few seasons.
Oldford will represent the United States when the best
amateur drivers from 13 nations battle over four days of competition which will
comprise the World Cup. And although the amateurs in the World Cup must have at
least 25 career driving victories that is something that Oldford doesn’t have to
worry about even though he didn’t earnestly start driving until he was 47 years
old.
On Thursday night, May 15 the Michigan native, now 56, added
to his resume yet another victory, the 86th of his amateur driving
career, when he drove TK’s Diva to a 2:01 triumph in the Midwest region
Billings Trot that night.
According to Oldford, who along with three other
Michiganders, traveled to greater Cleveland just to drive in the Billings Trot.
“It was like Michigan against Ohio, since the three others
were all from the Buckeye State, ” he said.
“It had been raining most of the day but when we were set to
race the skies cleared and the rain subsided,” Oldford said. “I had the
five-hole with a catch drive (TK’s Diva) and though she seemed to be overlooked
in the betting (9-1 at post time) she raced real well for me.
“We were three across the track on the first turn all
fighting for the lead but my mare cleared and we made the front in a swift
:28.1. But once on top I kept her rolling and we never got any challenges and
we were open lengths in front the entire way.”
At the wire TK’s Diva’s margin of victory was three lengths
over Love Ignites, driven by fellow Michigander Kelly “Sky” Walker who came
from far back to get second money. Third place went to Texas Ridge driven by
Buckeye, “Marvelous Marvin” Raber.
TK’s Diva is owned by Ohioans, Becky Zubkoff and
Summer Zubkoff. She paid $20.60, $13.40, and $5.00 across the board and for
Oldford it was his third driving victory of the year.
Next up in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series will
be a trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon(May 17)
