by Jeff Zidek, for the MSOA

Washington, PA — The 28th annual C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series will conclude its 2009 schedule this Monday night, December 7, with three Championship events at The Meadows, hosted by the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association.

The first event will take place at 3:50 p.m. as a non-wagering race. The one-mile Bronze Cup features a field of nine, led by Dream Of Pearls and driver Sherwin Edwards. The eight-time winner this year has a mark of 1:59.2f and will leave from post seven. He will be challenged by Sorce Of Victory (George Bonomo), just to the inside from post six. With a mark of 1:58f, Sorce Of Victory has banked over $37,000 this season. The purse for the Bronze Cup is $7,500.

The second race on the card will feature a battle of reigning Billings champions, so to speak. Last year’s Silver Cup winner, Michelle Ruvola, is back to defend her title with the same horse, Spit Happens. The duo has drawn post four. Leaving from post two will be D W’s Perky Joe, the horse that trotted to victory with Tom Williams in the bike in the Gold Cup final in 2008. This year, D W’s Perky Joe will be reined by Gregg Keidel. The morning line choice for the race is Where’s Harry, driven by Harry Landy. The horse has won six of 35 starts this year with a mark of 2:00h. The Silver Cup will go for a purse of $15,000 and will be contested at the distance of a mile and a quarter.

Finally, the fourth race on the card will be the Gold Cup event for $25,000, also at the longer distance. Done Dreamen has been installed as the 5-2 morning line choice for trainer Brent Davis and driver “Trader Bud” Hatfield. Done Dreamen is a five-time winner from 28 starts this year with a mark of 1:56.3. Williams will attempt to retain his title behind Neptune T, trained at The Meadows by JW Miller. The trotter has won five of 29 this year with a mark of 1:56.2s.

All three events will be named in honor of Delvin Miller, the founder of the Meadows and an ardent supporter of amateur driving.

“It is a big thrill for us to host the Billings Championships for the first time,” said MSOA President Richard Gillock. “Delvin built this racetrack and helped to build amateur driving around the country, so it’s fitting that the finals are here this year. We’re looking forward to three great championship races.”

Post time for the pari-mutuel portion of the Monday card will be 4:05 p.m. Live video can be seen on The Meadows’ Web site (www.meadowsgaming.com/racetrack/), and replays can be found on the MSOA Web site (www.themsoa.com).

This season, for the first time ever, a driver won all three points categories in the Billings Series. “Tar Heel Tom” Williams’ 132 points was tops in the Eastern Region; his 138 points copped the trophy in the Midwestern Region; and he won the Combined Points Category with 139 points. That phenomenon occurred because of the extra “wild card” events — where the drivers earned points in both regions — that were included this year to increase participation.

On November 22 at Balmoral Park “Trader Bud” Hatfield won the Midwestern Region Final with Done Dreamen in a time of 1:56.3. A day later in the Eastern Region finales at Harrah’s Chester, which were contested at a distance of 1-1/4 miles, Todd “the Downeaster” Whitney won the Regional Final with Swift Slide in 2:34 and “Harry Houdini” Landy, the 18-year-old schoolboy, copped the Regional Consolation Final with Where’s Harry in 2:35.4.

Those events helped series president Peter Gerry to determine what drivers would participate in the Championship Finals. The highest point earners during the season and the top finishers in each of the Regional Finals were placed in their respective Championship Finals.

The field for the 1-1/4 mile $25,000 Gold Cup Final with post positions and drivers, lines-up as follows. Iliketherain (#1-Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg); Perfect Gerry (#2-George “the Brooklyn Cowboy” Casale); My Victory Song (#3-Tony “the Capo” Verruso); (Done Dreamen (#4-“Trader Bud” Hatfield); Neptune T (#5-“Tar Heel Tom” Williams); Abs Speedy Hall (#6-“Tiny Tim” Miller); Rush N Supreme (#7-Kelly “Sky” Walker); Highmaker (#8-Eric “Cowboy” Taddeo); Pierre Levec (#9- Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford); and Swift Slide (#10-Todd “the Downeaster” Whitney).

The $15,000 Silver Cup Final, also at a 1-1/4 mile distance, lines-up this way: Where’s Harry (#1-“Harry Houdini” Landy); D W’s Perky Joe (#2-Gregg “Fast Greggy” Keidel); Quantum King Leo (#3-Dean “What Am I Bid” Beachy); Spit Happens (#4-Michelle “the Belle” Ruvola); Domi Racer (#5-Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon); Starry Knight (#6-Patricia “the Write Stuff” Miller); Mint Imperial (#7-Peter “the President” Gerry); Walden (#8-Scott “the Driving Doctor” Woogen); and Wen-mar’s Handsome (#9-Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff).

The $7,500 Bronze Cup Final will be contested at the usual one mile distance. The event lines-up as follows: Vegas Volcano (#1-“Howie the Horse” Gelfand); Candacraigh (#2-Bob “Lumberman” Troyer); Blastaway Sahbra (#3-Dale “the Big Boss” Zahn); Rompaway Ulaine (#4-“Congenial Gene” Miller); Mind And Spirit (#5-“Jolly Roger” Bartley); Sorce Of Victory (#6-“Chicago George” Bonomo); Dream Of Pearls (#7-Sherwin “Smiley” Edwards); Double A (#8-“Dynamite Dave” Drew); and Stonebridge Romeo (#9-Gavin “Bim Bam” Bixler).

— Billings Publicist John Manzi also contributed to this report