by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — Maybe racing fans will now understand the growing importance of amateur racing especially with three pari-mutuel races for Hambletonian amateurs presented on Hambo weekend at the Meadowlands.

In what was the Big M’s last overnight card prior to the racing of the Hambletonian program, amateur drivers supplied three fields of trotters to assist in filling the Hambo weekend card on Friday night (Aug. 7). True, not all trotters that raced that night were owned by the participating amateurs and not all horses that raced fit the Billings criteria, so many Billings members didn’t earn any series points by competing. But the bottom line is, the amateur movement helps fill race cards.

And bettors seem to like wagering on amateur races which was brought to light the previous day at Monticello Raceway when the amateur race there was the best bet race on the card.

Although 18 participants at the Meadowlands on Friday were Billings members the winner of each of the amateur races didn’t earn a point the in seven month C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series because their trotters didn’t fit the Billings horse criteria or they weren’t a Billings member.

Some may find it unusual that an amateur driver could win two betting races on one card, especially at the Meadowlands, but that’s exactly what Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff did on Friday.

In the first Hambo Amateur event the executive recruiter started in the second tier (post 11) with his own No Recess and stayed along the pylons until the homestretch where they caught the pacesetter, Permanent Joy, driven by Bobby “Rapid Rail” Krivelin and then out-footed them to the wire for a head decision in a time of 1:55. Paul “the Coach” Minore finished third with Hallanet.

Although Kivelin and Minore earned Billings Series points Hechkoff didn’t because his trotter didn’t fit the Billings conditions.

And in the second Hambo Amateur split Hechkoff took no prisoners and went down the road with his own Keystone Thomas and made every pole a winning one en route to a two length victory over Falcor Bluestone and driver Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg II in the identical time of 1:55. Third place went to Wygant Prince handled by “Bullet Bob” Davis. However, none of the top three finishing horses fit Billings criteria so no series points were earned by their drivers.

When Max Schulz was victorious in the final Hambo Amateur trot he had the thrill of winning a race at America’s biggest harness racing venue. And, not a Billings member he didn’t earn any series points.

Schulz, a visiting amateur driver from Germany, won a Billings split by disqualification last week at Northfield Park and rowed that same boat home at the Big M, again being placed first, this time with Insider Access, a horse loaned to him by Billings series vice president, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford. Futuristic Bride finished second for “Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio and Dave “Steady As” Yarock, who was first under the wire with Mr Ridgetaker, found his trotter placed third after having interfered with others while on a break earlier in the mile.

Pennacchio and Yarock gained Billings points but the visiting Max Schulz didn’t.

Now, Billings points aside, the competing amateurs fortify the claim that amateur racing not only is growing in status but an important tool in helping fill race cards during a period in which breeding is on a decline.

Next up for the Billings members will be a pair of trots at Monticello Raceway on Thursday (Aug. 13).