by John Manzi, for the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series

Monticello, NY — The final preliminary event in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series took place at Pompano Park on Saturday (Nov. 16) and as he has done many times over the years Dein “The Jupiter Gem” Spriggs emerged victorious when he guided Herecomesthechief to a 1:58.4 victory.

Sent away as the 2-1 favorite in the 10-horse trot, Spriggs wasted no time and took command as the wings of the mobile starting gate folded. His trotter was on the lead at the quarter in a swift :28 and from there Herecomesthechief rebuffed any and all challenges as the altered son of Here Comes Herbie trotted off to a three length triumph over Claim Jumper and driver “Mighty Matt” Zuccarello. Paul “the Pencil Dude” Suchow finished third with Pacific Cyclone.

A two-time Billings champion as well as a two-time National Amateur Driver of the Year, Spriggs’ participation in the Grand Circuit of Amateur Driving has been limited over the past few seasons.

Although his Billings starts have diminished his talent hasn’t. Racing mostly at Pompano Park in the Florida Amateur Drivers Club over the past several seasons, Spriggs rarely moves north to compete in the Billings Series.

However, when he was a mainstay on the Billings circuit, in the middle part of the first decade of the 21st century, he proved to be a formidable foe and in 2005 and 2006 he copped USHWA’s National Amateur Driver of the Year award.

Now with the completion of the seven months of preliminary events, the drivers are set for the Delvin Miller Memorial Gold and Silver Cup championships. They will battle on Sunday (Nov. 24) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.