by
john manzi for the Billings Amateur Series
Look
out boys the girls now have to be reckoned with in the CKG Billings Amateur
Driving Series. For the second time in
consecutive days a gal has emerged victorious.
On
Wednesday night at Northfield Park, Michelle “the Belle” Ruvola scored an
impressive victory and last night, May 26, at Yonkers Raceway “Hurricane
Hannah” Miller won her Billings division. And in a second split where there was
no female participant with a mount,
“Tough Tony” Ciuffetelli cruised to victory.
It’s
no secret that the ladies are making inroads with more of gentler sex
participating but especially with the emergence of Hannah Miller. Last year she
won 32 races and walked away with the Dan Patch Trophy as National Amateur
Driver of the Year and again this season the talented miss is picking up where
she left off. Her victory last night was her 10th already this
season.
According
to boyfriend Nick Surick, three different trainers wanted Hannah to drive their
horse in the Billings at Yonkers on Thursday. So after doing some homework
Hannah decided to pick Scottish Cross, a veteran trotter from the Rene Allard
barn.
“He’s
a really nice horse and he was easy to handle,” Miller said of her first time
behind Scottish Cross.
They
left hard from the two-hole and had command in a :28.2 first quarter.
“Once
the field settled I was looking for a breather (for my horse) and we got to the
half in :59.2. From there we opened daylight on the field and we
were three (lengths) in front coming off the final turn. I still had plenty of
horse when we crossed the finish line.”
Scottish
Cross traversed the mile distance in 1:59.1 and defeated Celebrity Stimulus
driven by David “the Litigator” Glasser by 2-1/4 lengths. Third, some six
lengths behind the winner, was Bullet Bob” Davis with Swift Blizzard.
The
winner is owned by Allard Racing Inc.
In
the second division Tony Ciuffettelli took no prisoners when he sent Star
Studded Cast to the lead from the
seven-hole and they were on top before the turn.
They
trotted by the first stanza in :28.1 and from there Ciuffetteli played catch me
if you can, and nobody could, as Star Studded Cast trotted on the a five length triumph in a
1:57.3 clocking over For You Almostfree, and driver “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo.
Third place went to Sam’s Honeybee,
driven by Billings president, Tony “the Capo” Verruso.
“‘Star’
raced big tonight,” Ciuffetteli said via email after his driving victory. “My
game plan was to blast off the car and find a spot but after making front so
easily I decided to keep him rolling and he responded nicely. He was strong all
the way to the finish.”
“Tough
Tony” also owns and trains the winner. Both Yonkers went as non-wagering events.
