On October 20th In the C.K.G. Billings Trotting
Series preliminary leg at Dayton Raceway “Michelle the Belle” Ruvola duplicated
her dad’s fete of the previous week when she too won a Billings Trot with
Lifelong Hanover. Her dad, “Chicago George” Bonomo, was victorious in the
Billings with that same trotter the previous week at the new Dayton, Ohio
racetrack.
Ruvola is an accomplished horse-woman and a good harness
driver as she has proven over the years in Billings’ finales and in other
amateur competitions. For the gal who drives when she doesn’t have
business obligations, it marked her second win in seven seasonal starts and 37th
of her driving career.
On occasion George and Michelle drive together on the same
card and at times in the same race but the past two weeks marks the first time
that they raced against one another and then switched horses following week,
and that both were victorious with the same horse (Lifelong Hanover) marks a
first for them, and maybe a first for any other father-daughter driving duo,
who have two horses in the same race.
In the Dayton race last Saturday Ruvola got away in fourth
position from the five-hole and was content to hug the pylons until late in the
mile as Steve “You’re Never too” Oldford and TK’s Diva cut the quick early
fractions.
However, when Oldford’s trotter reached the head of the
lengthy homestretch she began to get leg weary and “Lawbook Larry” Farley and
Margarita Man took a shot at the leader. They did pass Oldford’s trotter but
trouble was looming when Ruvola and Lifelong Hanover whizzed by everyone and
finished 1-1/2 lengths ahead of Margarita Man to take home the
lion’s share of the $7500 purse. Third place went to the betting favorite
Soulful Delight, driven by Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg II .
By the way Michelle’s dad George Bonomo got parked-out with
their other entrant, Tioga Thunder, and finished off the board.
The race winner, Lifelong Hanover, and for that matter Tioga
Thunder, are both owned by George and Rose Bonomo. Lifelong Hanover returned a
$9.20 payoff.
The event at Dayton Raceway was the final preliminary
leg of the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series in the Midwest Region and
with her triumph Ms. Ruvola has earned a berth against the boys in the in the
$25,000 Delvin Miller Memorial Gold Cup Final which will be contested at
Harrah’s Chester Downs on Sunday, November 23rd.
Ruvola is the seventh driver to qualify for the Billings
finale. Others who also have earned the right to participate include: Bob “the
Headhunter” Hechkoff, “Coach Paul” Minore, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford,
“Marvelous Marvin” Raber, “Mighty Matt” Zuccarello, and “Chicago George”
Bonomo, which again will set-up a father –daughter tussle.
