by john manzi for the CKG Billings Series
Although
the New York Yankees are struggling for victories their locker room manager,
“Yankee Joe” Lee scored an eye-opening driving victory in his division of the CKG Billings Series at the Meadowlands on
Friday the 13th. His 1:54.2 triumph with Dreams Of Thunder was one
of the fastest miles ever driven by a
Billings amateur.
Showing
that he also knows where the winners circle is, James “Jimmy Boy” Marshall IV
with Doc Simon’s Dream, wore down the pacesetter to score a 1:56.2 triumph in
the other division.
But
the buzz is about Joe Lee, who gets to drive in the Billings, and other amateur
races, when the Yankees are out of town. In his split Lee left softly from the
pole position while Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff gunned his trotter and
even-money favorite, Keystone Thomas, to the lead but was roughed-up by
Celebrity Stimulus when his driver Dave
“Steady As” Yarock made Heckhoff work for
command in a :27.2 first quarter,
As
Keystone Thomas approached the half he was challenged when “Hurricane Hannah”
Miller tipped Jacks To Open to the outside and Lee slid Dreams Of Thunder out
behind Miller’s charge and Jacks To Open carried Lee’s trotter all the way
until the top of the lane. In the stretch, feeling the sting of the quick early
fractions, Keystone Thomas began to tire a bit and Dreams Of Thunder rallied
late to collar Hechkoff’s trotter and score a head victory in a swift 1:54.2.
Jacks To Open finished third.
The
winner, owned by Green Acquisition Corp and trained by 28 year old Russian born
Valeriya Medik, returned a $34.40 win mutuel.
In
the other division, Doc Simon’s Dream (there must be a story there) was second
choice in the betting and received a cool heads-up drive when “Jimmy Boy”
Marshall used a covered journey until the top of the lane and then charged on
to a 1-1/4-length victory in a 1:56.1 clocking. Second place went to 11-1 shot
Sam’s Honeybee, driven by Billings Series president, Tony “the Capo”
Verruso. Seems like the betting public
can’t get a true read on Verruso and his trotting mare. Last Saturday Sam’s Honeybee
won a Billings trot at Freehold Raceway and returned a $96.40 win payoff. Third place went to another outsider 12-1
shot Inside Access who was driven by Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford.
The
winner is owned by her driver and Michael O’Sullivan and trained by “Jimmy
Boy’s” mom, Donna Marshall. Doc Simon’s
Dream paid $8.80 for win.
On
Monday, May 16 the Billings Series goes north of the Border with two trots
carded at Mohawk Racetrack.
