by john manzi for the Billings Series
Often
overlooked when it comes to amateur racing is that a good many of the
participating drivers are also owners and many race their own stock in the
amateur races, especially in the granddaddy of all amateur events, the
C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series. And furthermore, many of these
gentlemen drivers employ professional trainers.
Case
in point: Longtime owner and sportsman, Dave “The Rave” Offenberg.
On
Saturday night (Nov. 4) in an east region Billings trot at Yonkers Raceway
Offenberg gave his own trotter, Fiji, a picture-perfect drive and they rallied
to a 1:59.2 victory over Gonna Fly and driver Steve “You’re Never Too”
Oldford.
“I
had the four hole and when the starter let us go I grabbed the lead and then
surrendered it to Tony Verruso with Flirting Duesy,” Offenberg
said via telephone.
“We
were going a pretty good clip (:28.2) so I was content to sit the pocket as
Tony’s trotter cut the fractions and then up the backside endured a stiff
challenge from Steve Oldford’s Gonna Fly who eventually gained command and on
the final turn and began to pull away.
“When
we headed for home I had daylight and Fiji proved to be the strong horse in the
stretch and we went on to a length victory over Steve’s trotter.”
Flirtin
Duesy held on for the show dough.
Fiji,
a 4 year old Cantab Hall gelding, is owned by Offenberg’s Allister Stables and
trained by Eric “the Little Redman” Abbatiello.
Although he has
driven only 10 times this season tonight’s triumph was the first of the
year for Offenberg. But since he’s been participating in amateur racing he had
51 career driving victories.
“To me it’s just a
whole lot of fun being able to drive my own stock,” Offenberg said. “If you
can’t have fun in harness racing you don’t belong doing it.”
