by john manzi for the Billings Series
After
three exciting divisions in the CKG Billings Amateur Driving Series at Pompano
Park on April 3rd harness racing’s greatest traveling roadshow moved
on to Freehold Raceway on Saturday, April 8 for a contest in the daylight and
when that race was completed Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff emerged
victorious with The Franchise in a time of 2:02.1.
The
executive recruiter took advantage of the pole position and hustled his trotter
to the lead and they were comfortable in front as the quarter mile timer
flashed :29.3. Surprisingly there were two horses in the six-horse field that
were hung on the limb and Hechkoff played them like a fisherman plays a big
snare keeping them at bay and never letting either gain command.
First-over
was BL Class Act and driver “Slate Hill Allen” Sisco with whom Hechkoff played
hardball from the get-go. Despite starting from the two-hole Sisco’s charge
never saw the pylons and went a gutsy mile finishing in the exact time as the
winner when three trotters crossed the finish line just heads apart.
Unfortunately
for Sisco and his trotter they were relegated to a third place finish. Brad
“Quality Control” Rathbone and Northern Obsession, who were enjoying a two-hole
journey, rallied in the passing lane but fell a head short of the winner
although a head better than BL Class Act.
“If
I didn’t keep Sisco’s trotter on the limb I wouldn’t have won the race,”
Hechkoff reasoned after the mile. “Even though BL Class Act never saw the
pylons my horse (The Franchise) had all he could do to keep him at bay. I had
no other choice.”
The
first three finishers in the contest were each clocked in the identical time of
2:02 and fourth place finisher Landonfitz (Dave “Steady As” Yarock) was just
two ticks behind the winner.
The
Franchise, owned by Hechkoff’s RBH Ventures and trained by Kyle Spagnola, paid
$8.20 for win. For Hechkoff, his victory was his 91st of his
amateur career which began in 2000 and his second of the 2017 season.
-30-
