by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — The amateur drivers strutted their stuff on Thursday night (August 4) at the Meadowlands when two divisions for the Hambletonian Amateurs — loaded with Billings members — went to post.

The first contest was a non-wagering event which was won by Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff when he guided Tremendous Hit to a gate-to-wire, 1:59.1 triumph.

The second contest was in the third race on the betting card and was hotly contested right down to the wire. In a driving finish, “Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio and Cherry Tree Luke got up in the final strides to collar Dusty Diamond and driver “Gentleman Jamie” Marra in a time of 1:57.4.

In that contest Pennacchio settled in fifth position on the first turn with Cherry Tree Luke and benefitted from fast early fractions of :27.4 and :56.3 set by Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg with Not To Be Denied.

Ehrenberg carried the field past the three-quarters in 1:27 but at that point Jamie Marra was out and going with Dusty Diamond followed by the eventual winner, Cherry Tree Luke. In the lane Marra and Pennacchio’s trotters raced neck-and-neck to the finish with Pennacchio and Cherry Tree Luke getting a head decision in the photo. Third place went to Ehrenberg and No To Be Denied.

Whoever said that racing fans won’t wager on amateur drivers needs to step back and consider this. The third race, with the horses driven by amateur drivers, was the best bet race on the 10-race card that evening, which also featured four races in the World Driving Championship.

According to Brad “Not Basil” Rathbone, one of the drivers in the aforementioned third race — he finished fifth with CR Dream Catcher — who does the numbers for a living related, “According to the USTA results page our race was the best bet race of the night. The Hambletonian Amateur/Billings race had a WPS pool of $54,768, while the next best race of the night came in at only $43,672. Now that’s a nice feather in our cap!”

Racing fans were denied wagering on the first Hambletonian Amateur event but had the windows been available Hechkoff’s Tremendous Hit would probably have gotten the nod as the favorite though Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg’s Double Strength would have got some action, too, especially since that combo won a Hambletonan Amateur trot last year.

In his contest Hechkoff gunned Tremendous Hit to the lead from the seven hole as the wings of the gate folded and they gained command at the quarter pole in a soft :30. From there it was catch me if you can and nobody could as Hechkoff and his trotter made every pole a winning one though Offenberg and Double Strength made a rally in the lane but they fell a head short at the wire. Third place went to Sam’s Honeybee who was driven by Billings president Tony “the Capo” Verruso.