..by John Manzi for the Billings Series and
the Catskill Amateur Club’s race
Score
one for the president... the Billings president, that is. At Monticello Raceway
on the ides of June Billings Series president, Tony “the Capo” Verruso. took no
prisoners en route to a gate to wire 2:00.2 victory with Flirting
Duezy in an east region Billings trot.
When
the starter said ‘go’ Verruso hustled the 8-year-old Victory Sam mare to the lead
and kept moving to allow the trailing horses to find a spot along the pylons.
After leading the field by the first quarter in:29:2 Verruso let his mare have
her head and she trotted the next quarter in 31 seconds which kept anyone from
moving out to challenge her lead. They had two lengths on the field as Flirting
Duezy trotted by the third stanza in 1:30.2 and when the field headed for
home she was still the strong horse and rebuffed a late charge by The
Franchise and driver Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff. She’s All Muscles finished
third for “Buffalo Bob” Davis.
“Knowing
that my mare is quick off the gate I sent her to the front and tried to get the
trailing horses in line behind us. And it worked out just like I planned. She’s
game on the lead. Back in mid-May, while on the engine, she won handily in
1:58.3”, Verruso said after race.
Owned
by Betsy Phillips and Carl Gillespie and trained by Gillespie, Flirting Duezy
was dismissed by the betting public and paid $22.60 for win. For the current
Billings president it was his 67th career driving victory.
Also
on the June 15th card, another talented female driver, Monica
Banca, bided her time and then rallied Fox Valley Leo to a 1:58.3 victory
in the Catskill Amateur Club Pace.
“I
had a good trip,” Banca said when she returned to the paddock after her
victory.
She
gunned her pacer to the lead from the five-hole and then allowed Joe Lee and
TKR’S Metro Specs to take command before the first quarter timer flashed :28.3.
With Lee’s pacer showing the way and Banca’s pacer snug in the two hole ,they
raced one-two until the final strides in the deep stretch when Fox Valley Leo
rallied down the passing lane to a head triumph over TKR’s Metro Specs.
Kennanskingwilliam was third for Jerry Fielding.
“I
was glad to let Joe’s horse take the lead and sit behind him,” Banca added.
“And I think because I had cover my horse was the strongest at the end of
the mile.”
Fox
Valley Leo is owned and trained by Rick Dane. The 7-year-old Yankee Skyscraper
gelding paid $12.60 for win. And for the Norwegian-born Banca it was her third
driving victory in just four seasonal starts
