by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Harness Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — At Scioto Downs this past Friday evening (Sept. 10), “Trader Bud” Hatfield was seeking his third consecutive victory in Billings competition with Done Dreamen. And his chances of succeeding looked good, since he had the backing of the betting public who sent Done Dreamen away as the 11-10 favorite that night. However, at the finish Done Dreamen was done-in by Celtic Merchant and driver Steve “You’re never Too” Oldford when they wired the field and scored a 1:59.1 triumph.

Though there were two scratches from the initial 10 horses that were to start, Hatfield and Done Dreamen had serious road trouble. They started from the seven hole and though there was cover they trotted the entire one-mile distance on the limb. And to make matters worse, Hatfield had to swing his venerable trotter to the outside three-deep on the final turn and they could never make up the ground they needed to be victorious.

It was Oldford’s decision not to allow anyone to wrestle the lead from him and Celtic Merchant that enabled the Midwest Region point leader to score another triumph and add to his point totals.

Hatfield and Done Dreamen charged home second best, some 1-1/2 lengths off Celtic Merchant. The third place finisher Celebrity Yank, driven by Milton “American Winner” Smith, never left the rail and was six lengths in back of the winner at the finish.

Next action in the Midwest region will be on Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Wayne County Fair in Wooster, Ohio followed by a competition at Raceway Park in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 18. But the annual showcase of talented Billings drivers will be on Sunday, Sept. 19, over the lightning-fast double oval at Delaware, Ohio as part of Little Brown Jug week.