by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Harness Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — After seven months of heated competition the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series will culminate with the Delvin Miller Memorial Gold and Silver Cup Championship Finals at The Meadows on Monday afternoon, Dec. 6.

No fewer than five former National Amateur Drivers of the Year will have mounts in the two final races. They include “Trader Bud” Hatfield, “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo, “Tar Heel Tom” Williams, “Congenial Gene” Miller and Dein “the Jupiter Gem” Spriggs.

Just two ten-horse trots are slated in the Championship finals this season and they will go as races six and seven on the betting card, each at a distance of 1-1/4 miles over The Meadows swift five-eighths-mile oval.

“The extra distance is usually a good equalizer,” noted Peter “The Past President” Gerry. “Driving skill, rather than post position or equine strength, will separate the winner from the followers in each of the Cup races being contested at the 1-1/4 mile distance.”

In the Gold Cup Final, 17-year-old high school student Joey “the Teen” Bongiorno has the early line favorite in Winterleebrook and will start from post position three.

In the Eastern Region Final at Harrah’s Chester on Nov. 20, Bongiorno left strongly from post seven and shadowed the leader, Domi Racer (Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon), until the top of the lane and then rallied to a new Chester track record of 2:30.4 over Civil Cause and driver “Gentlemen Jamie” Marra. Domi Racer and Hunsdon held on for third place.

All three drivers with the same horses will lock horns in the Gold Cup Final with Civil Cause leaving from the pole position and Domi Racer starting from post six.

The sleeper in that race could be Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford’s Celtic Merchant, who won the Midwest Region Final in 2:00 at Northfield Park with Oldford at the lines. He’ll drive again when the trotter leaves from the two hole.

The Silver Cup Final appears to be a wide open affair and will mark the first time that any of the starting horses have raced in a 1-1/4 mile contest this season.

“Lawbook Larry” Farley’s $30,000 seasonal winner Rewrite The Rules from post four figures to get good mutuel backing as will “Trader Bud” Hatfield’s Done Dreamen who’ll leave from the three hole. Even though “Chicago George” Bonomo’s Spit Happens, who’ll start from post five, doesn’t show the fast final times as many others in this contest — he’s been on half-mile tracks mostly — don’t count him out.

The God Cup Final field lines up as follows: 1-Civil Cause (Jamie Marra); 2-Celtic Merchant (Steve Oldford); 3-Winterleebrook (Joey Bongiorno); 4- DW’s Perky Joe (Tom Williams); 5-Buck ID (Tony “the Capo” Verruso); 6-Domi Racer (Simeon Hunsdon); 7-Celebrity Yank(Milton “American Winner” Smith); 8-Iroquouindianmagic (Joe Faraldo); 9-Garlands Brat (Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg II); 10-(Sorce Of Victory (Michelle the Belle” Ruvola).

Here’s the field for the Silver Cup Final: 1-Admirable Hanover (Peter Gerry); 2-Must Be Psychic (Vladimir “Butch” Melnichenko); 3-Done Dreamen (Bud Hatfield); 4- Rewrite The Rules (Larry Farley); 5-Spit Happens (George Bonomo); 6-Howmuchubench (Mike “the Mortgage Man” Mitchell);7-Abs Super Hall (Kelly “Sky” Walker); 8-Littlebitofhoney (Bob “I Want to Sell You A Car” Chapman); 9- My Victory Song (Gene Miller); 10-Mind And Spirit (Dein Spriggs).

Post time for The Meadows’ 16-race program is at 12:55 p.m.