Although the New York Yankees are struggling for victories, their locker room manager, “Yankee Joe” Lee, scored an eye-opening driving victory in his division of the C.K.G. Billings Series at Rhe Meadowlands on Friday the 13th.
His 1:54.2 triumph with Dreams Of Thunder was one of the fastest miles ever driven by a Billings amateur.
Showing that he also knows where the winner's circle is, James “Jimmy Boy” Marshall IV with Doc Simons Dream, wore down the pacesetter to score a 1:56.2 triumph in the other division.
But the buzz is about Joe Lee, who gets to drive in the Billings, and other amateur races, when the Yankees are out of town. In his split, Lee left softly from the pole position while Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff gunned his trotter and even-money favourite Keystone Thomas to the lead, but was roughed-up by Celebrity Stimulus when his driver Dave “Steady As” Yarock made Heckhoff work for command in a :27.2 first quarter,
As Keystone Thomas approached the half, he was challenged when “Hurricane Hannah” Miller tipped Jacks To Open to the outside and Lee slid Dreams Of Thunder out behind Miller’s charge. Jacks To Open carried Lee’s trotter all the way until the top of the lane. In the stretch, feeling the sting of the quick early fractions, Keystone Thomas began to tire a bit and Dreams Of Thunder rallied late to collar Hechkoff’s trotter and score a head victory in a swift 1:54.2. Jacks To Open finished third.
The winner, owned by Green Acquisition Corp. and trained by 28-year-old Russian born Valeriya Medik, returned a $34.40 win mutuel.
In the other division, Doc Simons Dream was second choice in the betting and received a cool heads-up drive when “Jimmy Boy” Marshall used a covered journey until the top of the lane and then charged on to a one and a quarter-length victory in a 1:56.1 clocking. Second-place went to 11-1 shot Sams Honeybee, driven by Billings Series president Tony “the Capo” Verruso. Seems like the betting public can’t get a true read on Verruso and his trotting mare. Last Saturday, Sams Honeybee won a Billings trot at Freehold Raceway and returned a $96.40 win payoff. Third-place went to another outsider 12-1 shot Inside Access, who was driven by Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford.
The winner is owned by her driver and Michael O’Sullivan and trained by “Jimmy Boy’s” mom, Donna Marshall. Doc Simons Dream paid $8.80 for win.
On Monday, May 16, the Billings Series goes north of the border with two trots carded at Mohawk Racetrack.
(C.K.G. Billings Series)