by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Ray Robinson, Jr. and Frank Milby have known each other for quite a while. The two talented harness drivers are now having a spirited, yet friendly duel to keep the top spot among leading drivers at the current Ocean Downs summer meet.

Robinson, the three-time driving champion from 1999 through 2001 and runner-up from 2002 through 2005, started the 2007 summer with 14 wins in his first 36 starts. Milby had only 20 starts at the Ocean through the same period, June 16 through June 27, while he built impressive statistics as the leading driver at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland.

“Shorty” Robinson continued his winning ways, but saw Milby become red-hot at the Ocean Oval with 18 wins in 30 starts from July 19 through July 26 and take the lead among drivers, 31-30.

“He’s driving really well, making some very smart moves,” Robinson said about his friend Milby. “We’ve been friends for a while. We learn from each other. I think we both drive very smart on the race track and that helps out a lot.”

Robinson now has 35 wins and Milby has 33 as both logged driving doubles Sunday, July 29.

Milby, born in 1978, respects Robinson who is nine years his senior.

“I’m rooting for “Shorty” and I’m sure he’s rooting for me,” said Milby, who first drove in 1998 at the Ocean, not far from his home in Cordova, Maryland. “Last few summers, I’ve been going to Rockingham (New Hampshire), training a bunch of horses and flying back and forth. I just wanted a little more relaxed setting this summer. Take it easy.”

Milby is from a harness racing family and his father, Don, is one of the leading trainers at Ocean Downs this summer. Don Milby has started horses he trains in 12 races at the Ocean Oval and has six wins and five second-place finishes.

“The ones that my dad trains that we have down here, we put them in pretty close to where they should be favored. You can get a couple wins like that,” Frank Milby said.

One of the Milby horses, Twin B Scamper, a 7-year-old mare owned and driven by Frank and trained by Don, has more wins this summer than any other horse through Sunday, July 29. The Run The Table mare from Scamper Almahurst won her sixth of the meet on July 29 and has finished second in her other two starts at the Ocean.

“Since we bought her, she had some lameness problems, but we worked them out,” Frank said.

Twin B Scamper has seven total wins in 2007 after posting 10 wins in 39 starts last year. Her best win time this summer is 1:56.4, while she has a career-best 1:52.2 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia.

Robinson and Milby could go to closing night (August 25) before the driving championship at Ocean Downs is decided, but as Robinson said, “This is a race track where you can still have fun. We have a wonderful time and we’ve got a good group of guys.”

Parking and admission are free at Ocean Downs. First post is 7:35 p.m. nightly every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call (410) 641-0600.