by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — The second half of the seven month C.K.G. Billings Harness Drivers Series kicked off with action on two fronts on Saturday night (Aug. 1) with one Midwest region division at Northfield Park and two splits in Eastern region action at Vernon Downs.

An oddity happened in the Midwest region when young Max “the attacker” Schulz, a visiting amateur from Dulmen, Germany, got a chance to race in America’s granddaddy of all amateur series and won his contest with Say It Best in a solid 1:57.2 over the Northfield Park double oval.

Also that evening, races at Vernon Downs saw the return of veteran amateurs Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon and Vladimir “Butch” Melnichenko when the former’s trotter Shallow Hal was a head better than the latter’s Fox Valley Photoq in a 1:58 clocking in the first split. The second division saw Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff’s No Recess trot away to a four length triumph in 1:55.4 over betting favorite Jacks To Open, who was driven by “Hurricane Hannah” Miller.

In the race at Northfield Park, Bold Strike and driver Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford were first under the wire but the trotter was off stride at that point and lapped on by Say It Best and because of the infraction it reversed the order of finish.

“My horse raced well but as we neared the finish he bobbled and went off-stride and Max’s trotter, who was shadowing me, ended up as the race winner,” Oldford said. “Max is an amateur club champion back in Germany and is visiting America mainly to see the upcoming Hambletonian and when we found out we offered him a chance to drive in our Billings trot here (at Northfield Park) and now he’s one for one in races in America.”

Third place in the Northfield Park Billings contest went to Rush N Supreme driven by Kelly “Sky” Walker.

Say It Best, owned and trained by Johnny Yoder and sent off at odds of more than 11-1, paid $25.20 for win.

“Since Max is here to see the Hambo we are trying to get him a drive in Hambletonian Amateurs at the Meadowlands this coming Friday (Aug. 7),” Oldford added.

In years past Simeon Hunsdon was always battling for the point lead in Billings competition but in recent seasons he hasn’t been driving with regularity. His drive at Vernon Downs on Saturday was only his second this season and for runner-up “Butch” Melnichenko it, too, was his second time in the sulky thus far this year.

Hunsdon sent Shallow Hal to the lead from the six hole and made every pole a winning one to score a head triumph over Melnichenko’s Fox Valley Photoq. Alternat Thursdays finished third for Bob Hechkoff.

Shallow Hal, owned by Richard Ruffles and trained by Claude Huckabone Jr., paid $20.00 for win. For Hunsdon, it marked the 80th winning drive of his amateur career.

In the second Billings split at Vernon Downs that evening “the Headhunter” zipped to the front with No Recess when the gate sprung and they cruised to a four length victory over Hannah Miller’s Jacks To Open in a time of 1:55.4. “Butch Melnichenko took home the show dough with Choke Hold.

Hechkoff’s R.B.H. Ventures owns the winner who is trained by Kyle Spagnola. It was the trotter’s third seasonal triumph and Hechkoff’s 12th winning drive this year.

Billings action will continue Friday night (Aug. 7) with the Hambletonian Amateurs performing.