Harness racing’s greatest travelling sideshow, the CKG Billings Harness Driving Championship Series, moved on to Nichols, New York for a trotting contest over the five-eighths mile oval at Tioga Downs. When the dust settled, 'Gentleman Jamie' Marra and Slated For Success showed their heels to the field with a wire-to-wire victory in 1:57:3.
Sent off as the post time favourite in the nine-horse trot, Marra knew the best place for the favourite to be was on the front-end, and when the wings of the mobile gate folded he sent Slated For Success for the lead. The duo gained command before the quarter-mile distance, which was timed in :28:1.
Once on the lead they sailed along unchallenged and had an open-length lead all the way to the finish line. The pair posted a two-length win over Rel Postage Due and driver Simeon 'Hot Rod' Hunsdon.
Rally By The River and Dave 'Steady As' Yarock were third under the wire, but were disqualified for a racing infraction. Due to the judges' DQ, Pilgrims Kassie earned the show dough and her driver Tony 'The Capo' Verruso third-place points on the Billings leaderboard.
Marra co-owns the 10-year-old SJs Photo mare with her trainer, Don Glowacki. Slated For Success returned $5.10 on a successful 'win; wager, which was Marra’s second Billings triumph of the year and sixth overall this season.
(Billings)