by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — It certainly wasn’t planned this way but maybe it’s poetic justice that nearly all the entrants in the final two divisions will get a check when the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series has its final regular season venue at Yonkers Raceway on Monday (Nov. 14).

Assuming that there will be no late scratches, only one horse will miss a payday since in the first division six trotters will go to post and in the second only five will compete.

And maybe that’s the way it should be since there was nothing special on the line at Yonkers on Monday evening, other than the pleasure of the competition for the drivers since both regions’ points champs have already been determined — Tony “the Capo” Verruso in the East and Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford in the Midwest.

The battle that ensued last season at the final venue, also at Yonkers, which determined the Eastern Region points champion, has fallen by the wayside after Verruso won a Billings split last week at Pocono Downs and earned 15 points for his efforts while runner-up Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon, who was within striking distance of the leader at that time, didn’t have a mount. As a result, Verruso currently has 120 points while Hunsdon, with 96, can’t possibly catch the leader.

On Monday, Verruso will drive Peter Gerry’s Drill Sergeant Sam from post four in the second split but he can count on some stiff competition from “Tough Tony” Ciuffetelli’s Bank On Rosie who won her last start at the Hilltop oval.

In the other division, Ace High Hall, fresh off a gutsy 2:02.2 triumph for “Roundhouse Rob” Krivelin on Nov. 10 at Pocono Downs, will again have Krivelin in the sulky and figures to be the one to beat even from the six hole. But if Long Story Short and Dein “the Jupiter Gem” Spriggs get a good trip they certainly have the power to upset.

With this leg being the last in the regular season the Midwest Regional Final is carded to go to post at Northfield Park on Saturday (Nov. 19) while the Eastern Region Finale will be contested a day later, Sunday (Nov. 20) at Harrah’s Chester.

Then on Friday (Dec. 2) the series’ top point earners will convene in southwestern Pennsylvania to compete in the Delvin Miller Memorial Gold, Silver, and Bronze Championships over the five-eighths-mile oval at The Meadows.