by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — On Monday afternoon (July 23) the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series made a stop at the Fowlerville, Michigan, Fair for a competition in the Midwest Region.

Only five trotters entered the event, all driven by members from the Wolverine State. At the lines that afternoon were Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford, Mike “the Doo Wop Doc” Caston, Patricia “the Write Stuff” Miller, Kelly “Sky” Walker and Mike ‘the Mortgage Man” Mitchell.

When it was all over Steve Oldford emerged victorious with his own Oliver Kiss in a 2:04 clocking, turning back Merlincrest driven by Dr. Mike Caston.

“I felt that if my horse stayed on gait that we’d be the best, even though Doc Caston’s trotter has been racing well this year. We got the lead pretty easily and from there I knew we’d be hard to catch,” Oldford said.

It was the third win in five seasonal starts for the 6-year-old Conway Hall gelding. And for Oldford, the vice president of the Billings Series, it was his sixth driving victory of the year and his 61st since he earnestly began amateur racing in 2006.