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Saturday, November 5, 2016

“SUPER SARAH” SVANSTEDT ROMPS IN THE BILLINGS TROT AT THE BIG M

      by john manzi for the CKG Billings Amateur Driving Series

Once again a lady is making big news in amateur racing. No, this time it isn’t “Hurricane Hannah” Miller, even though she finished fifth in the mile. Tonight belonged to “Super Sarah” Svanstedt as the talented miss romped to an oh-so-easy eight-length triumph with Sky Hanover in a 1:55.4 clocking in the Billings Trot in the second race on the betting card at the Meadowlands.

However, the outcome prior to the start wasn’t a real mystery especially for chalk players, who along with the betting public sent Sky Hanover away at odds of 40 cents on a dollar.  And “Super Sarah” didn’t let her backers down.

After getting away softly Sky Hanover fell into sixth position after leaving from the three-hole as Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff and Keystone Thomas showed the way to a :28.1 quarter. With Allen “Slam” Cisco and Karets supplying pressure on the limb it forced Hechkoff to take the field by the halfway point in :56.4 . But lurking near the back of the pack Ms Svanstedt swung Sky Hanover to the outside behind cover of two others on that same route.

Still in sixth position as the leaders passed the half when the field straightened out up the backside “Super Sarah” fed her trotter racetrack and  they went three wide around the  front-enders and Sky Hanover ranged alongside Keystone Thomas with  less than a quarter mile to go. When the two  headed for paydirt Sky Hanover put on his trotting shoes and opened up daylight with every stride. And when he reached the finish line he was an eight-length winner over Hechkoff’s Keystone Thomas. Third place went to Mark’s Gold Band driven by “Buffalo Bob” Davis.

It was the second win thisw season for the Donato Hanover 4 year old mare sent off as the prohibitive betting favorite. Sky Hanover paid $2.40 for win. He is owned by Knutsson Trotting and  trained by Ake Svanstedt.