In harness racing, there’s such a thing known as a good trip; or sometimes referred to as a perfect journey. It is this that can be a great equalizer and the result of getting a good journey can be victory often despite the horse's odds when the race starts.
Case in point: T Ks Jelly Belly, who was sent off at odds of 44-1 in the Midwest region Billings trot on Friday night (June 24) at Scioto Downs and came away with a upset triumph.
A horse that starts from the pole position usually deserves watching because they already have a position along the pylons. For some reason, T Ks Jelly Belly got no respect in the 10-horse field, but it was his driver, Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg, who laughed last. And for that matter, so did those who wagered on him when they received a $91 mutuel payoff.
When the gate sprung, Ehrenberg, a veteran of many Billings wars and a prominent Ohio owner, sent his trotter away and held the pylon position. He allowed Ned “the Insurance Guy” Hodkinson and Mutinyonthebounty to take command, and in the process, shut out Celtic Merchant and driver Steve “You’re Never too” Oldford, who was looking for a hole.
Hodkinson kept the pedal to the medal and sent his trotter through speedy early fractions, mostly caused by Oldford’s parked out horse. After a :28.2 first quarter, they passed the halfway point in in :57.3 with Ehrenberg and T Ks Jelly Belly tucked in tightly behind the leader.
Mutinyonthebounty and T Ks Jelly Belly were one-two and lengths in front of the field as the three-quarter timer flashed 1:27.4. In the lane, Ehrenberg and T K’s Jelly Belly rallied to a head triumph over Mutinyonthebounty in a 1:58.1 clocking. Third place, some three lengths in the rears, was Patient I D, driven by “Lawbook Larry” Farley.
The win was the second for the four-year-old daughter of Victory Sam, who is owned and trained by Terry Milhoan. Across the board payoffs were $91, $36 and $11.20. The 1-5 exacta paid $1,349.80.
The next Billings event will be at Goshen Historic on Saturday, July 2.
(With files from C.K.G. Billings Series)