After a C.K.G. Billings Series Midwest Regional trot at Scioto Downs Friday night (May 18), the longest running amateur driving series moved on to Freehold, N.J. for a contest over the famed double oval at Freehold Raceway. When the results were finalized, “Tough Tony” Ciuffettelli scored an impressive victory with Better To Be Lucky in a time of 2:00.4 over a soggy racetrack.
Ciuffetelli purchased Better To Be Lucky last October, and since then, the six-year-old Lucky Chucky gelding has proven to be a valuable commodity after the trotter notched his fourth seasonal triumph.
“I bought him as a back-up Billings horse,” Ciuffetelli explained. “He's a nice horse but he occasionally gets temperamental.”
After leaving softly from the two-hole, Ciuffetelli headed for the pylons and watched a speed duel ensue between Annie “Get Your Gun” Stoebe, with betting favourite Uriel, and “Yankee Joe” Lee's Great Emancipator, who was on the limb fighting for command.
“I was feeling good watching Annie and Joe go at it. They were going pretty swift over the muddy racetrack and I was hoping that they'd get tired — and that's just what happened,” Ciuffetteli said.
With snappy early fractions of :28.2 and :58, Ciuffetteli just bided his time. He was second at the third stanza in 1:29.2, and when Better To Be Lucky cleared on the final turn, he had command.
“I felt pretty confident as he headed for the wire since the two favorites battled it out early,” Ciuffetelli added. “I saw Tyler (Miller) coming at us, but he went off stride before the finish.”
"Young Tyler" Miller finished second with Masster Blue, while Annie Stoebe took home the show dough with Uriel.
It seems that Better To Be Lucky lived up to his name as he crossed the finish line 1-1/2 lengths in front of Masster Blue.
Ciuffetelli, a former corrections officer, also owns and trains the winner who returned $20.20, $7,00, and $3.60. For “Tough Tony”, it marked his 54th career driving victory.
(C.K.G. Billings)