Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford scored his second
consecutive victory in the CKG Billings Harness Driving Series when he
won the Billings Trot at Northfield Park on Thursday evening, June 18. He
scored neck victory with Annie’s Master in a very creditable 1:58.4
clocking and that victory came on the heels of the one Oldford had at Buffalo
Raceway last Saturday.
In the Northfield contest Oldford scooted to the lead from
the four-hole with Annie’s Master and they led the field by the first stanza in
a swift :27.3. On the engine Oldford’s trotter passed by the halfway point in
:57.1 and they still with a two length lead as they trotted by the third
quarter. However, that lead slowly diminished in the lane but the 5 year old
Master Lavec mare had enough left in the tank to hold off her challengers to
prevail in a three-horse photo.
Betting favorite Nordic Venture, driven by Gary “Zoots”
Campbell, had a good two-hole journey and rallied late but couldn’t catch the
winner although they did keep TK’s Karma and Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg
II from getting second money.
Oldford naturally felt good about his victory especially
since Annie’s Master was basically entered to help fill the Billings trot that
night.
“I can’t thank trainer Don Pfister and owner Harold Dick
enough for allowing me to drive their mare tonight,” Oldford said. “This was
the first time I ever sat behind her and though she was a bit fractious at
times but we got her all together and once we set sails she trotted like a
champ and really hung tough in the deep stretch.”
It was the first win for Annie’s Master since March 24th
and her third this year. She paid $14.00, $6.20 and $7.20 across the board.
Oldford, last year’s National Amateur Driver of the Year,
will be leaving for Finland soon to represent the United States in the
prestigious World Cup of Amateur Racing which will get underway on July 7th.
“I’m really looking forward to competing,” Oldford said.
“This will be the first time that I have the honor of representing the United
States in the World Cup although I have driven abroad in the past in Italy and
New Zealand.
“My wife Gale is going with me and we may even stop in
Sweden before we go to Helsinki. I plan on driving in the preliminaries there
prior to the World Cup getting underway and look forward to having a grand
time.”
