The final contests in this year’s Billings Harness Driving Series were presented at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a blustery Sunday, November 24.
The events saw Bobby ‘Rapid Rail’ Krivelin victorious in the $25,000 Delvin Miller Memorial Gold Cup Championship and ‘Tough Tony’ Ciuffetelli triumphant in the $15,000 Silver Cup Championship.
Krivelin reined Current Crisis to a 2:30 victory in the one and a quarter-mile Gold Cup final, while Ciuffetelli won with CSI Whats My Name in 2:32.
Perhaps more importantly, the $2,000 in driver’s commissions in that contest was donated to the Anthony Coletta Fund. Coletta, as most know, is the young man that was recently injured in a bad racing accident at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The accident was on the minds of many of the participants in the championship finals, but it hit especially hard on Bobby Krivelin, who is a friend and mentor of sorts to Coletta.
“My victory was really bitter sweet with the kid still in the hospital,” Krivelin said. “He was on my mind all the time I was there. I’ve known him since he was 14 years old when he was driving in the Yonkers Amateur Club. I would often speak to him over years. [He would] call me from time to time and we’d talk about various aspects of the business. He [is] a great kid and I know everyone is pulling for him and all our guys are happy to donate (our commissions) to his recovery fund.”
Of course, Krivelin was also asked about the race he had just won with Current Crisis.
“It was cold and windy and my horse was a great in the one and one-quarter mile distance which had the feeling of a European trot,” Krivelin explained. “Having driven in Billings finals which have been long distance races, I sat back in the early going and then tried to pick-up horses after the half. As I did, my horse was moving closer to the leader (‘Bullet Bob’ Davis, driving Bullseye Valley), but he wasn’t coming back to me as fast as I thought would. We passed the mile marker in 1:58.4 and when we headed for home I was wondering if we’d ever catch him. But we finally did near the finish line. His horse really hung tough.”
Sent off at odds of over 10-1 Bullseye Victory finished second. The betting favourite, Tabulator, with ‘Marvelous Marvin’ Raber aboard, took home the show dough. Current Crisis, second choice in the wagering, is owned by Krivelin’s Hero Stables and returned a $6.60 Win payoff.
Krivelin, a food purveyor, is one of the premier amateur drivers on the circuit. This was his 11th seasonal triumph and 152nd of his career. His mounts recently have topped $1-million in earnings.
The Gold Cup victory was the second for Krivelin, a two-time USHWA National Amateur Driving Champion. He also won the Billing Gold Cup a few years ago with Proud Moment.
CSI Whats My Name appeared to be the best in the $15,000 Silver Cup Championship, and he was, although he got a smart drive from Ciuffetelli.
When the gate sprung, Paul ‘The Coach’ Minore sent Wygant Prince to the lead with Whatnblazes and Dave ‘Yes, It’s True’ Offenberg in hot pursuit. Ciuffetelli settled his trotter in third position behind the leaders.
The order remained the same past the half. As the field approached the third stanza, Ciuffetelli whipped CSI Whats My Name out to challenge, and they trotted by both Wygant Prince and Whatnblazes and took command on the final turn. From there they opened daylight on the field and cruised home an easy three-length winner. With a late driver change to Marvin Raber, Tag The Lady rallied to be second. Whatnblazes held on for third money.
CSI Whats My Name, also owned by Cuiffetelli, paid $3.60 to Win.
For Ciuffetelli, a corrections officer by trade, it was his second driving victory in seven seasonal starts and his 22nd win of his amateur career.
(Billings)