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

Monticello, NY — After hardly missing a week and competing in multiple amateur club’s events the season’s leader “Hurricane Hannah” Miller took a week off to go back to her roots and when she returned to action she picked up where she left off reining Casanova Lindy to 1:59.1 victory in the first of two Billings Series trots at Saratoga Raceway on Friday night August 21. For the talented miss it was her 22nd amateur driving victory this year.

She also competed in the second Billings leg that evening but a third place finish was all she could muster as new Billings competitor “Captain Kyle” Spagnola won that contest with Trotalot, a horse he co-owns with Billings member and prominent horse owner, Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff. Trotalot won his contest in a time of 2:00.4.

However, the major Billings story of the year thus far is the emergence of Hannah Miller as a top competitor. In her Billings split on Friday she uncharacteristically raced her trotter on the front end.

“Casanova Lindy can leave good so I took full advantage of having the rail and put him on the front end,” she explained. “

Once there Miller and Casanova Lindy raced basically unchallenged and cruised home a 1-1/2 length winner over Futuristic Bride, driven by Dein “The Jupiter Gem” Spriggs. “Pacin’ Peter” Gerry took home the show dough with Flex The Muscle.

Throughout the year Ms. Miller has sort of danced every dance by not only racing in the Billings Series but also in the NAADA Series, the Catskill Club Series and the GSY Series and her 74 seasonal drives attests to that. So when she missed a week her departure was conspicuous.

“I was at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, where I grew up,” she said. “And it was great to win that first race after taking a little break from driving, “

Casanova Lindy, co-owned by her driver along with Nick Surick and the Erv Mller Stable, paid $3.90 for win.

When asked if she was going to race in the Billings on Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Mari-times she said: “Yes, I will be going to PEI next week with Nick (Surick, her boyfriend) and my parents. It will be my first time up there and I’m definitely looking forward to it!”

“Captain Kyle” Spagnola has never been tremendously enamored by driving, basically devoting his talents to training, and he has been successful in doing so. This year the 24-year-old has sent 292 standardbreds to the wars winning 58 times and owning a very respectful .316 UTR.

However his driving victory was his first this year and only his second in his fledgling career.

After chasing Hannah Miller home with Alternat Thursdays (finishing sixth) in the first Billings trot he turned the tables on Miller in the second Billings contest and gunned Trotalot to the lead after starting from the eight-hole. While on the engine they rebuffed a first-up challenge by Hannah Miller with Picture Perfect as the field approached the halfway point and kept them at bay for the rest of the mile to score a one-length triumph. With a two-hole trip Montana Sky and driver “Bullet Bob” Davis finished second and Picture Perfect was third.

Trotalot, co-owned by RBH Ventures and Spagnola, paid $15.40 for win.