by
john manzi for the Billings Series
Harness
racing’s greatest traveling roadshow, the CKG Billings Amateur Driving Series,
employed plenty of action on Sunday, October 15 when the granddaddy of all
amateur racing organizations had contests at two different racetracks, one in
the USA at Northfield Park in greater Cleveland, Ohio and the other in Canada
at Flamboro Downs in Dundas, Ont. “Tiny Tim” Miller won the Midwest
region Northfield trot with Song In My Heart while “Gentle Ben” Hollingsworth
copped the Canadian event- a pace-behind with Michelle's Deuce over
Flamboro’s double oval.
In
his event Miller took no prisoners and sent his trotter down the road
from the four-hole and made every pole a winning one en route to a solid 1-1/2
length triumph over Kelly “Sky” Walker’s Stemilt Touch. Patricia “the Write
Stuff” Miller took home the show dough with 45-1 shot, Keep The Cash.
The
winner, owned by Bert Hershberger and trained by JD Wengerd, was sent off
the 6-5 favorite and returned a $4.40 win mutuel. For hot-handed Miller it was
his fifth driving victory in just 10 seasonal starts.
In
the Canadian Billings pace later Sunday evening “Gentle Ben” had the
prohibitive favorite Michelle’s Deuce and drove like one is supposed to when
deemed the best in the filed and rushed the 8-year-old Armbro Duece mare to the
lead and remained unchallenged throughout coasting to an easy 1:59.1 triumph to
notch the mare’s 6th seasonal victory. The battle for second money
saw Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford and No Teasing Me out-foot Thrift
Shop with David “Poppa” Glasser to the wire to garner the place dough.
Owned
by the LINK Stable and trained by Corey Johnson, Michelle’s Deuce paid $3.50
for win. It was Hollingsworth’s first seasonal driving victory(from just 4
starts) and 21st of his limited career.
Billings action continues on Monday night
with two trots on the card at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.
