Goshen, NY--On the
sweltering Saturday afternoon of June 30th in Trot-Town USA with the
temperature hovering in the mid-90's two Billings divisions went to post over
Goshen's Historic Track and when they were declared official Steve “You're
Never Too” Oldford and “Smokin' Joe” Faraldo each emerged victorious in their
respective divisions; Oldford winning with Starsaboveallerage in 1:58 while
Faraldo scored behind Tough Get Going in 2:00 flat. And although each contest
had short fields action was intensified when each winner scored a tight nose
decision.
In Oldford's contest he sent
his trotter to the lead from the two-hole and they carved out fractions of
:29.2; :59 and 1:28.2 with “Joltin' Joe” Pennacchio and Cheeky Little Minx
shadowing the leader's every move. However, when Starsaboveallerage rounded the
final turn and headed for home he was quickly joined by Cheeky Little Minx and
the two trotters raced for the wire head-to-head and nose to nose and when the
photo was deciphered Oldford's trotter was a nose better that Pennacchio's.
“My horse went a game race
and he hung tough when we were challenged by Joe's horse( Cheeky Little Miss)
in the deep stretch. And we were so close at the wire I wasn't sure who won
it,”Oldford said and the added “I was happy to hear the announcer call my horse
the winner.”
Third place some 4-1/2
lengths behind the top two was Connie Keeper, driven by Scott “the driving
doctor” Woogen.
Oldford Racing owns the
winner who is trained by Allen Sisco.
In his division, Faraldo
gunned Tough Get Going to the lead when the wings of the mobile gate folded but
yielded command to Winwood Scout and driver David “Poppa” Glasser before the
quarter which was clocked in :28.2.
“I really had no other
choice but to grab leather and let Glasser take command or else he would have
run me down,” Faraldo said. “We got over to the half in :59 seconds and I was
still comfortable when we passed we three quarters and I sat in until we
rounded the final turn at which point I moved to challenge and we cleared
Glasser and braced for a challenge from (Matt) Zuccarello (with Gianni).
Like the previous Billings
event it was a two-horse charge to the wire and so close a photo was needed to
declare a winner. Gianni was a nose back at the wire and Winwood Scout faded
and finished third.
Faraldo co-owns the winner
with trainer Richie Banca. And for “Joltin' Joe” it was his first winner on
American soil this year after having had two victories in France earlier this
season.
