Plains, PA – In a thrilling stretch duel, Dave “the Rave” Offenberg got his venerable trotter, Fiji, up in the final strides to collar Winwood Scout and driver “Buffalo Bob” Davis to reel in the lion’s share of the $12,000 purse offered in the Billings East Regional Final on Saturday night (Nov. 17) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

In a field reduced to six starters, Offenberg and Fiji departed from the pole position and watched as “Buffalo Bob” Davis and Winwood Scout get in a speed duel with On The Podium (“Yankee Joe” Lee) as the two leaders trotted by the first panel in :27.4. They were still side-by-side as they headed for the halfway point with Lee looking for room along the pylons but with Uriel and “Annie Get Your Gun” Stoebe tight on his back second over, no room was to be had as the trotters along the pylons kept all the holes closed.

When the field went by the half-mile pole, Winwood Scout was on the lead with Fiji tucked in nicely in the two hole and On The Podium and Uriel parked on the limb.

Winwood Scout was in command as he passed the third stanza in 1:27.2 with On The Podium still second on the outside. But when the field headed for home, Offenberg, who was in the catbird seat, rallied Fiji as On The Podium began to fade.

In the deep stretch, it was Winwood Scout and Fiji…and Fiji and Winwood Scout…as the two trotters battled all the way to the wire and, after the judges posted the tight win-photo, the victory went to Fiji and Offeberg in a time of 1:57.1. Tony “the Capo” Verruso, up behind Peoplesayimnogood, trailed the leaders throughout and rambled home for the show dough.

Fiji is owned by Offenberg’s Allister Stables LLC and trained by Eric Abbatiello. It was the sixth victory for Fiji this year, which raised his seasonal bankroll to nearly $50,000. For Offenberg, he notched his fourth seasonal triumph and 55th of his amateur career.

Offenberg now joins “Marvelous Marvin” Raber, who won the Midwest Region Final last week with Mikey Hanover at Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, and both drivers have earned the privilege to draw inside post positions in the $25,000 Delvin Miller Memorial Gold Cup Final at Yonkers Raceway on November 25.