by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — It wasn’t an easy trip and at several points in the mile, Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff thought his venerable trotter, Tremendous Hit, was going to get beat.

But when they crossed the finish line a neck ahead of Current Crisis and driver Bobby “Rapid Rail” Krivelin, all thoughts were unfounded as Tremendous Hit hung tough and won the Billings Trot at Plainridge Racecourse in a time of 1:59.2 on Monday (June 24).

After starting from the pole position, Hechkoff took command as the gate sprung and he kept Peter “the Past President” Gerry and Drill Sergeant Sam on the limb past the quarter in :27.4. Finally, before the half-mile timer flashed :57.4, Gerry’s trotter cleared but Hechkoff wasted little time before he retook.

On the front-end as the field passed the third stanza in 1:28, Hechkoff braced for a strong challenge by Krivelin’s Current Crisis.

“We had a rough journey the entire way and at the top of the stretch I thought Krivelin’s trotter would go by us but my old guy dug in and we ended up winning it ” Hechkoff said via telephone after the race was completed. “Last week he tied up a bit but he was good today and he went a big mile.”

Third place went to Sam’s Honeybee with current Billings President Tony “the Capo” Verruso at the lines.

Tremendous Hit, a 12-year-old Giant Hit gelding with a lifetime bankroll of more than $447,000, won for just the second time this year in 20 trips to the post.

Owned by Hechkoff’s R.B.H. Ventures Inc. of New York City and trained by Brandon Simpson, Tremendous Hit paid $5.80 for win.

Hechkoff, who is poised to accept the 2012 Billings Amateur Driver of the Year Award at the Hall of Fame Banquet in Goshen on July 7, notched his second winning drive of the season and 41st of his amateur career.