by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — There’s an old adage that states “you can’t keep a good man down.” Applying those same sentiments to the recently completed Billings Trot at Plainridge Park on Labor Day (Sept. 7), it needs adjustment to “you can’t keep a good woman down,” referring to “Hurricane Hannah” Miller’s victory there with Jacks To Open.

“I was having stomach and kidney problems and I was in the hospital for a few days. I’m glad to be back and I’m feeling much better,” Miller said, referring to missing two NAADA Series drives at Freehold Raceway on Saturday.

The Billings point leader, Miller picked up where she left off and notched her 23rd seasonal triumph with a gate-to-wire victory behind Jacks To Open over Plainridge Park’s five-eighths-mile oval.

Taking advantage of the pole position in the six-horse field, Miller fired the veteran Conway Hall gelding to the lead and they were comfortable in the :28.1 first split. From there, Jacks To Open raced virtually unchallenged for the remainder of the mile and in the lane the trotter opened up daylight on the field and cruised home an easy five length winner in a time of 1:57.2. Although shadowed throughout by Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff, his charge, Berkshire, couldn’t stay with the winner as the field headed for pay dirt and finished second. Northern Nandi garnered the show dough for Tony “the Capo” Verruso.

Owned by his driver and the Nick Surick Stable, Jacks To Open paid $3.40 to win and notched his sixth seasonal victory. Miller, who had a five hour drive from her home in New Jersey to compete, now has a .443 UDR on the strength of 23 wins, 16 seconds and 12 thirds in 81 trips to post.

Extremely happy to have Hannah back in action, her boyfriend, Nick Surick, added, “We’re off to Chicago for some stake races on Saturday night (Sept 12) followed by Billings races in Canada Sunday (Sept. 13) at Flamboro (Downs) and Monday (Sept. 14) at Mohawk Racetrack.”