by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Split The Bill may have been the longest price on the board in his last appearance, but owner/trainer Keith Willey drove him like he was the odds-on choice and the result was an overdue snapshot for the 9-year-old trotter.

Willey flew from the gate with his homebred veteran, gladly accepted the two hole from favored Mr Me on the first turn, then came right back out on that one going into the final bend. Split The Bill opened up a huge lead at mid-stretch and had enough left to hold safe over the long-fused Edgar Allen Coe to record the $54 surprise.

“You can see I’ve been taking back with him every week, but it was frustrating because we kept getting caught behind horses that were gapping,” Willey related when asked about the race. “He was feeling pretty good in the warm-up, so I just decided to tap him away from there and get a good early spot.

“The two just inside me didn’t have much speed, and I thought the driver on the rail horse might be a bit careful, because that one had make a break the week before. It all worked out on the first turn, because we got the pocket behind the favorite.”

Some may have been surprised when Willey pulled from that favorable spot going to the last turn, but he admits he didn’t have much choice.

“My horse was all over Rick Plano’s helmet, and it does seem like most of his wins have come when he made a move just like that one.”

It turned out to be perfect timing in fact, as Mr Me hit the brakes soon after and was beaten double digits. Meanwhile, it was Split The Bill and Willey posing for pictures for just the second time in a little over a year.

“That was fun,” he added.

By the way, the son of Monterey Judge got his name as a result of a dining ritual.

”On Sunday mornings, myself, Tom Parris, Norm Honath and our wives have breakfast together. Back when this trotter was getting ready to start his career, we were trying to come up with a name during one of these breakfasts, and then the check came. You can figure out the rest.”

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (Feb. 17) and continues through Saturday (Feb. 19). Post time on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (PST). Post time on Friday and Saturday is at 6 p.m.