“You still got it, kid,” said John Campbell to Bill O’Donnell as the latter walked in to the winner's circle after taking top spot (2:00.3) in the $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot for Hall of Fame drivers on Sunday at Goshen Historic Track.
The field of nine drivers, including the newest member of the Hall of Fame, Dick Stillings, competed, with O’Donnell, driving Whatever Lolawants, crossing the wire after overtaking Wally Hennessey and Sweet Joe just past the three-quarters (1:28.2).
O’Donnell had the lead when the field turned for home and didn’t give it up. Whatever Lolawants is trained by Martin Noonan and owned by Noonan Harness Racing, Inc.
Stillings was second with Adonis B and Majestic Jo and Dave Palone were third.
“This [Goshen] is what racing was, lots of people at the races,” said O’Donnell. “They go because they’re fans, look at this grandstand today. This is fine; I’d like to race every race like this.”
O’Donnell was a late addition to the race, replacing Mike Lachance and he wore the colours of Ray Schnittker as his were at home.
“That’s why I quit driving in the first place, because they quit asking me,” he laughed.
“It was a bunch of old guys today, but this is a good mare. The trainer says she leaves good, she’s not very good once she gets to the front and when she went to the front she didn’t want to go, but she was better than them today.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.
Way to fire Billy,
Way to fire Billy, congradulations, once you have it, you never loose it.Ron