by John Manzi, for the C.K.G. Billings Series

Monticello, NY — The C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series has been taking annual weekend treks to New England for many years now with races in Maine and in Massachusetts, but this season the Scarborough Downs race slated on Saturday (June 28) was cancelled. Still a race went to post at Bangor Raceway in Maine on June 27 and at Plainridge Racecourse in Massachusetts on June 29.

At Bangor “Sir Philip” Bo Sowers, who mostly trains and lets others do the driving, donned his driving colors and romped to an oh-so-easy victory with Motown Dreamgirl in a time of 2:01.1.

Obviously the best on paper, the 8-year-old Keystone Nordic mare was sent off as an odds-on favorite and she lived up to her billing when she took command early and then made every pole a winning one en route to victory, her fifth of the year.

Although Peter “Sycamore Ventures” Gerry had a two-hole trip with Cantabmyway, they were all out in keeping Maine Muscle and Tony “the Capo” Verruso from getting second money in the event. Both trotters finished approximately two lengths behind the winner.

Motown Dreamgirl is also trained by Sowers and owned by Standardbred Ventures. She paid just $2.20 for win.

With the Saturday race cancelled the action moved to Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, Mass., on Sunday afternoon. Six trotters went to post there and again the odds-on favorite, CSI What’s My Name, trotted to victory. His winning time was 1:58.3.

Driver Dave “Steady as” Yarock sent the 9-year-old Tagliabue gelding toward the front and looked for a spot along the pylons which he found after the quarter pole behind the pace-setter, Rodeo Red and driver “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo.

After following Faraldo past the half and up the backside, Yarock moved CSI What’s My Name out to challenge and they trotted to the front as they went by three-quarters. Once on the lead Yarock’s trotter rebuffed a late charge from LF Topaz and driver “Tough Tony” Ciuffetelli to score a 1-1/4 length triumph. Rodeo Red faded and finished third.

It was the fourth victory of the season for CSI What’s My Name, co-owned by Yarock, Dave Glasser and Joel Golub. The trotter returned a $3.60 win mutuel.

On Saturday (July 5) Billings action will be featured over Historic Track in the Cradle of the Trotter.