On the brisk and windy Columbus Day afternoon of October 10 “Tough Tony” Ciuffetelli and his trotter Star Studded Cast made a laugher out of the Billings trot at Saratoga Raceway when they romped to an oh-so-easy 11-length triumph in a 1:58 clocking.
The victory was the second consecutive in an amateur driving event for Ciuffetelli, who copped a NAADA Trot four days ago with Aventure at Monticello Raceway.
Despite recovering from a terrible bout with Lime Disease, Ciuffetelli is enjoying his best season in the sulky and currently has eight wins and a healthy .326 UDR.
In the Billings trot at Saratoga the retired corrections officer gunned his trotter to the lead when the gate sprung and despite a roughed-up first quarter Ciuffetelli had three-length lead as the field buzzed by the first quarter in :28.2.
“I had seriously urged him (Star Studded Cast) to gain command when we left out of there that when I wanted to settle him down it wasn’t in the cards. He was so wound-up that I had a hard time slowing him down,” Ciuffetelli said. “He was in high gear when we passed the half in :57.3 but at that time we had a six length lead on the field. From there he just kept opening daylight and at the finish we were an 11-length winner.”
"Buffalo Bob” Davis rallied Shelikescandy up for second money and Dave “Steady as” Yarock took home the show dough with Mr Ridgetaker. (By the way, Davis had an unreported driving double in Billings action on September 29th at Batavia Downs, remarkably with both horses starting from the eight hole.)
Star Studded Cast, a five-year old altered son of Current Cast, is owned and trained by Ciuffetelli. He paid $4.70 for win.
(CKG Billings)