When the 12 horse field headed for home in the C.K.G. Billings Series Trot at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky on Thursday evening, a fierce stretch duel ensued and when the photo finish camera snapped, Rush N Supreme and driver Kelly “Sky” Walker emerged victorious

albeit by just a nose over Norvelous and “Tar Heel Tom” Williams.

The bulky 12-horse field went along without any problems as Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg cut swift early fractions of :27.3 and :55.2 with Rose Run Marcus. And although that combo still had the front-end as they passed the third stanza in 1:26.4, the early speed took its toll and Rose Run Marcus faded badly.

When the field rounded the final turn, Walker and Williams charged from far back and Oldford, who was following Ehrenberg’s trotter, was seriously looking for racing room.

Down the stretch and all the way to the wire, Rush N Supreme and Norvelous were nostrils apart, but the nod went to Walker’s horse. After Oldford and Celtic Merchant found clearance they were charging at the leaders, but unfortunately they ran out of racetrack and had to settle for the show dough.

“I was following Tom [Williams with Norvelous] around the final turn and I had Steve [Oldford with Celtic Merchant] locked in along the rail,” Walker explained. “When we headed for home, Steve finally shook loose and made a charge as Tom and I were battling each other. With about 200 feet to go, I was really looking forward to the wire and it came just in the nick of time.”

The victory was the 12th of the year for Walker, who also has seven seconds and two thirds in his 46 starts, which equates to a .369 driving average. And though Walker, a greenhouse owner and farmer from Burton, Michigan, has only five Billings starts this season, his victory at Lexington vaults him into the top 10 on the Midwest Region leaderboard.

Next action in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series will be at Plainridge Racecourse on Monday, October 3.

(Monticello Raceway)