There's no doubt that the addition of slots at the pari-mutuel racetracks in Ohio has been a boon to the industry there. Not only are horsemen racing for bigger purses, it has also fuelled a resurgence of sorts in the amateur movement there, as well as in Pennsylvania, where slots have been the lay of the land for a few years now.

On Wednesday (Aug. 8) at Northfield Park, a solid 10-horse field of amateur drivers each took a seat behind spirited steeds and raced for an $8,000 purse. When the dust had cleared, “Michelle the Belle” Ruvola stuck it to the boys — her dad included — when she guided Better Call Saul to an easy 3-1/2 length triumph in a very creditable 1:59.1 clocking.

After starting from post 4, Michelle settled her trotter in along the pylons in third position as “Marvelous Marvin” Raber and Mikey Hanover showed the way by the quarter in :29.3. Heading to the halfway point, she moved Better Call Saul first-up and they slowly kept moving forward: third at the half, second at the three-quarters, and still second — by two lengths — at the top of the stretch. Ruvola finally gave her trotter his head and “Saul” put it in high gear, rambling on to an easy victory over Mikey Hanover. Sneaky Sam finished third for Gregg “Fast Greggy” Keidel, while Michelle's dad, George Bonomo, was fourth with Time Outa Jail.

Better Call Saul is owned by Wolf Creek Farm and trained by Crist Hershberger. He paid $8.20 to win.

For Ruvola, a businesswoman from Naperville, Ill. who only has time to drive sparingly, it marked her first seasonal victory and the 40th of her amateur career.

(C.K.G. Billings)