by
john manzi for the Billings Series
The
second and final day of the CKG Billings Amateur Drivers Series Canadian road
trip on Monday, October 3rd saw Howard “Howie The Horse” Gelfand
bring accolades back to Canada after he won the Billings trot at Mohawk
Racetrack with Cracker Zack in a 1:58.3 clocking. Gelfand was one of four
Canadian sportsmen participating in the Mohawk event. The first race of that
Billings Travel Series was Sunday and the USA’s David “Poppa” Glasser
emerged victorious.
In
the Billings event on Monday Gelfand had drawn the favorite in the race and
drove him as such.
When
the wings of the mobile gate folded he ducked Cracker Zack down along the
pylons in fourth position. As the 10-horse field approached the halfway point
Gelfand moved his trotter out to challenge the leaders and at that point they
got first call. Once on top Cracker Zack trotted away from the others and at
the third stanza he had an eight-length lead. From there it was catch me if you
can and nobody could as the 7-year-old Angus Hall gelding trotted home an easy
five-length victor. Second place went to Most Wanted Lindy driven by “Mighty
Matt” Zuccarello while Sherwin “Smiley” Edwards garnered the show dough with
Little Stuie.
The
winner, owned by Richard Moreau, Don Beanland and Fred Handelaar, is trained by
Moreau. He paid $5.00 for win.
Gelfand,
a sales agent from Mississauga, Ont. and longtime participant in the Billings
Series, notched his first seasonal triumph and although he has been driving
sparingly in recent years still it was his 36th driving victory in a
career which began in the late 1980’s.
Next
Billings action will be back in the States on Sunday, Oct 9 at Saratoga
Raceway.
