Dave
“Linemaster” Ehrenberg II took no prisoners and made every pole a winning one
en route to a 1:59.3 victory with King Trut in a Billings trot at Scioto Downs
on Friday night, June 26. But in doing so King Trut had to rebuff a strong late
challenge from YF Crasher and driver “Marlin the Magician” Smith.
“The
complexion of the race changed dramatically when Steve Oldford’s trotter (Bold
Strike) made a break before the start which allowed my horse get away with soft
early fractions,” Ehrenberg explained.
Bold
Strike, the 1-2 betting favorite- was riding a two race win streak where he was
victorious on the front end both times. However with him a non-factor King Trut
and Ehrenberg were able to dictate their own fractions.
They
passed the quarter in :29 and by the half in 1:00 flat. However Smith had YF
Crasher on Ehrenberg’s back from the get go and when the two leaders rounded
the final turn and headed for paydirt Smith had his trotter neck and neck with
King Trut.
They
came down the stretch like a team hooked -to-pole but YF Crasher couldn’t pass
the pace-setter and King Trut valiantly fought off his challenger to score a
neck decision. In third place three lengths further back was Hometown Jeff
driven by Michelle “the Belle” Ruvola.
King
Trut, a 10 year old Self Possessed gelding owned by Aimee Ranger and trained by
Chris Short returned a $19.80 win mutuel. It was King Trut’s sixth seasonal
triumph and Ehrenberg’s 47 career driving victory.
With
his victory Ehrenberg, now with 24 points, moves into second place on the
CKG Billings mid-west region leaderboard behind Steve “You’re Never Too”
Oldford’s 45. In third placewith 17 points is “Lawbook Larry” Farley followed
by “Hurricane Hannah” Miller’s 16. “Bullet Bob” Davis and Kelly “Sky” Walker
are tied for fifth, each with 13 points.
