by john manzi for the
Billings Series
Meadowlands, Pa—The
participating amateurs will be able to display their driving talents to perhaps
one of the biggest crowds when the drivers in the Midwest Region of the
Billings Series gather for a $10,000 trot on the same day as the Adios Pace
Eliminations at the Meadows on Saturday, July 20.
But the big crowds brought
out the best in Brent “the Zanesville Clipper” Davis as he sat a pocket all the
way to the top of stretch and then rallied Beatrice to a 1-1/4 length triumph
in a 1:58 in a race where just 2/5ths of-a-second separated the
winner from the horse that finished sixth.
Davis was content to allow
Ned “the Insurance Agent” Hodkinson take early command with Vector and cut the
race fractions of :29.1; 59.1 and 1:27.3 while he sat back fourth position
surveying his best route to the finish line. But when the tight field
straightened for paydirt Vector could not stop the late rally by Beatrice and
had to settle for second money.
Meanwhile eyeing a chance
for all the marbles while sitting a two hole the entire way with United Bi when
Steve “You're Never Too” Oldford asked his trotter for more in the lane United
Bi flattened out and finished third.
The winner, Beatrice was
sent off as the betting favorite and returned a $4.60 mutuel; Owned by EdTeefey
the 5-year-old daughter of Photo Color is trained by Davis.
For the “Zqnesville Clipper”
who has had just 13 starts since 2011 it was his second seasonal victory and
the 138th of his distinguished career.
