Once again the Billings Gold and Silver Cup Finals
will be raced at Harrah’s Philadelphia both at distances of 1-1/4 miles, and
they will be contested on the Sunday Nov. 23rd betting
program.
The $15,000 Silver Cup Championship Final will be race eight
on the 14-race card while the $25,000 Gold Cup Championship Final will go to
post in race 12. And unlike the other 12 races offered that day both
Billings trots will be contested at a distance of 1-1/4 miles.
As envisioned by Delvin Miller and his co-founders when they
established the Billings Series back in 1981, many of the horses in the final
events will be driven by their owners.
Both races will feature Billings members who earned berths
in their respective divisions after the fierce competitions during the six
month series and unlike most races, the drivers not the horses, qualify for the
finales.
This season the Billings again continued as a true North
American amateur competition when races were held at venues in the United
States as well as in Canada and only those who earned the most points in the
series, or won certain regional finales, became eligible to compete in the
finals.
Once again, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford, a sales rep
from Croswell, Michigan won the combined points championship and prevailed the
points champion in the Eastern Region.
“It was a fun competition right from the start and the
series was embellished by the extraordinary hospitality the competitors were
treated to by the host venues and also by Billings members who resided near
some of the outposts among the States and Canadian provinces to which the
series traveled,” noted Tony Verruso, president of the Billings Series.
“The 2014 Delvin Miller Memorial Championship Gold and
Silver Cup Championships will be the successful culmination of the Billings
Series. Eighteen passionate amateur drivers will compete in arguably the most
balanced and competitive finales that the Billings has ever show-cased,”
The field—with drivers—in $15,000 Silver Cup
Championship Final include: #1-Jimmer (“Bullet Bob” Davis), #2-Rompaway
Alvin (Dave “Steady As” Yarock), #3-Massive Man (David “Poppa” Glasser);
#4-Soulful Delight ( Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg II, #5-Rush N Supreme(Kelly
“Sky” Walker); #6-Whatnblazes (Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg),
#7-Magglio (Mike “the Mortgage Man” Mitchell), #8-Rompaway Brandon (“Tough
Tony” Ciuffetelli), and #9-Hartwell (“Peter “ Sycamore Ventures” Gerry).
The $25,000 Gold Cup Championship lines-up as follows:
#1-Rodeo Red (Tony “the Capo” Verruso), #2 Wygant Prince (“Coach Paul” Minore),
#3- Rebel Strike (“Mighty Matt” Zuccarello) #4- Tioga Thunder (“Chicago George”
Bonomo); #5-Celtic Merchant (Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford,#6-Keystone Sadie
(Bobby “Rapid Rail” Krivelin), #7-Catching Katie (“Marvelous Marvin” Raber),
#8-Life Long Hanover (“Michelle the Belle” Ruvola, and #9-Tagmaster (Bob
“the Headhunter” Hechkoff).
Driving skill, rather than post position or equine strength,
will probably separate the winner from the trailers in each of the
Championships especially since as the races are being contested at an added
(1-1/4 mile) distance.
The evening will conclude with a dinner party filled with camaraderie, good cheer and Billings Series year-end awards
