“Yankee Joe” Lee wins Billings Trot at Freehold

Freehold, NJ — Starting from the six hole, lightly regarded Osprey Vision got a hustling drive from “Yankee Joe” Lee and overcame traffic to get in contention and then challenge the betting favorite Wygant Prince (Coach Paul” Minore) in the lane and rally for a 1-1/2 length victory in 2:02 in the $9,000 Billings Trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (April 27).

When the wings of the gate folded Minore and Wygant Prince challenged “Annie Get Your Gun” Stoebe’s, Uriel, for the lead which they obtained just after the first stanza timer flashed in :29. Once on top Minore’s charge stepped by the halfway point in :59 at which point Lee was out and going with Osprey Vision who was still in fifth place, but looking to move up.

“Once I got him rolling we quickly ranged up behind Doc Woogen (with Peoplesayimnoood who was first-up) and since my horse was full of trot I angled him three-deep and had my sights on Wygant Prince who was still strong on the lead,” Lee said.

Osprey Vision collared Minore’s trotter at the top of the lane and then slowly began to pull away and went on to victory, the second of the season for the veteran trotter. Wygant Prince held second and Doc Woogen’s charge finished third, some six lengths behind the top two.

Osprey Vision, a 10-year-old altered son of Ken Warkentin, is in from his home base in western New York and had raced successfully in a couple of NAADA trots before striking gold in the Billings today. Tommy Merton trains for the owner, Melissa Russo.

Osprey Vision paid $18.20 for the win and marked the gelding’s 50th career victory which raised his lifetime bankroll to over $302,000. For “Yankee Joe” last season’s Amateur Driver of the Year, it was his 50th career triumph.

The Billings Series will continue tomorrow (Sunday) with a nine-horse field at Miami Valley Raceway.  

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