By
john manzi for the Billings Series
If
there’s one thing that Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff learned since he became an
amateur driver is that when you have the best horse in a race go the front,
control the race, and make the others try to catch you.
And
that’s precisely what the Executive Recruiter did with The Franchise in the
Billings trot today (Sat. Apr. 30) at Freehold Raceway. After they gained
control nobody could catch them and they
got first-call on every pole to go on and score a 2:00.2 victory in the
six-horse race.
“We
had to work a little to make the front from the five-hole but once we were on
top we controlled the race,” Hechkoff offered after his victory."And my
horse was strong all the way to the wire."
Hechkoff and The Franchise had to hustle to
get the lead from the five-hole but they cleared the other five horses coming
off the first turn and they had command
by the first quarter which was trotted in a swift :28.4. Once on the lead they
made every pole a winning one en route to a neck triumph over Hit The Hill and
driver “Yankee Joe” Lee. Third place went to Sam’s Honeybee who was driven by
his owner and Billings president, Tony “the Capo” Verruso.
It
was the second seasonal victory for the Muscles Yankeee 6-year-old gelding who is co-owned by his
driver and his trainer, Kyle Spagnola. Sent off at odds of 3-10 The Franchise
paid $2.60 for win.
Coming
off his best season as an amateur driver where he won 23 races durin 2015 it
was “the Headhunter’s” third seasonal triumph and 80th win since he
joined the amateur ranks in 2000.
A
second Billing trot was also on the Saturday card at Freehold Raceway. That
contest saw Scott “the driving doctor” Woogen, with Peoplesayimnogood, rally
from third at the top of the stretch to collar “Coach Paul” Minore and Wygant
Prince at the wire for a neck triumph in
2:01. Third place went to King’s Cavalier, driven by “King David” Offenberg.
It
was the first seasonal victory for the 4-year old Lear Jetta gelding owned by his driver and trained by Gary Messenger. Peoplesayimnogood returned a $14.20 win mutuel. For Doc Woogen, a gastroenterologist, it was
his 145th lifetime driving victory
Next up for the Billings amateurs will be a contest(s) on Saaturday May 7 again at Freehold Raceway.
