by john manzi for the Billings Series
In
harness racing there’s such a thing known as a good trip; or sometimes referred
to as a perfect journey. It is this that can be a great equalizer and the
result of getting a good journey can be victory
often despite the horses odds when the race starts.
Case
in point: T K’s Jelly Belly who was sent off at odds of 44-1 in the Midwest
region Billings trot tonight (Friday) at Scioto Downs and came away with a
upset triumph.
A
horse that starts from the pole position usually deserves watching because they
already have a position along the pylons. For some reason T K’s Jelly Belly got
no respect in the 10-horse field but it was his driver, Dave “Linemaster”
Ehrenberg who laughed last. And for that matter so did those who wagered on him
when they received a $91.00 mutuel payoff.
When
the gate sprung Ehrenberg, a veteran of many Billings wars and a prominent Ohio
owner, send his trotter away and held the pylon position and allowed Ned “the
Insurance Guy” Hodkinson and Mutinyonthebounty to take command and in the
process shut out Celtic Merchant and driver Steve “You’re Never too” Oldford
who was looking for a hole.
Hodkinson
kept the pedal to the medal and sent his trotter through speedy early fractions
mostly caused by Oldford’s parked out horse. After a :28.2 first quarter they
passed the halfway point in in :57.3 with Ehrenberg and T K’s Jelly Belly
tucked in tightly behind the leader.
Mutinyonthebounty
and T K’s Jelly Belly were one-two and lengths in front of the field as the three
quarter timer flashed 1:27.4. In the lane Ehrenberg and T K’s Jelly Belly
rallied to a head triumph over Mutinyonthebounty in a 1:58.1 clocking. Third
place, some three lengths in the rears, was Patient I D driven by “Lawbook
Larry” Farley.
It
was the second win for the 4-year-old daughter of Victory Sam who’s owned and
trained by Terry Milhoan. Across the
board payoffs were $91.00- $36.00 and $11.20. The 1-5 exacta paid $1349.80.
Next
Billings action will be at Goshen Historic on Saturday, July 2.
