by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — Harness racing’s greatest traveling roadshow, the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series, moved on to Yonkers Raceway on Thursday evening (June 25) where two east region divisions were contested before the betting card got underway.

Not surprisingly, Billings regional point leader “Hurricane Hannah” Miller once again stuck it to the boys when she went wire-to-wire with Rev It Now to score in 1:59.3 while the other split went to Billings president Tony “the Capo” Verruso after he reined Sam’s Honeybee to a 2:01.3 victory.

Earlier in the day Miller had a third place finish in a NAADA Trotting Series event at Monticello Raceway, and as she’s done previously, traveled later in the day for another amateur event at Yonkers Raceway.

Once again behind her veteran Rev It Now she turned the tables on her competitors by leaving from the pole position and taking command on the first turn.

“He (Rev It Now) is a notoriously slow starter but he left out of the gate great tonight,” Miller related. “I didn’t expect to be on the front end but a couple horses made breaks leaving, so I went to the lead and surprisingly he was comfortable there.”

After a soft :30.4 first quarter Rev It Now trotted by the half in 1:00.4 and then began to open daylight on the field. At the third stanza Miller’s charge had two lengths on the field which was opened to three at the wire. CSI What’s My Name rallied from far back to be second for David “Poppa” Glasser while “Bullet Bob” Davis took home the show dough with Wygant Prince.

With her victory “Hurricane Hannah” now has 18 seasonal driving victories but in the process she lost Rev It Now who was claimed after the race.

In the other division Verruso used the same front-end strategy for his victory with Sam’s Honeybee.

With breaking horses around him as he left the gate Verruso immediately sent Sam’s Honeybee to the lead and they got away with soft fractions of :30.4 and 1:02.4. When Paul “the Coach” Minore moved Hallanet as the field approached the half the pace then picked up. Still Sam’s Honeybee had a 1-1/2 length lead by the three-quarters which was opened to two lengths as they headed for home.

“We needed every inch at that point because in the deep stretch Dave (Offenberg with Whatnblazes) came flying at us but “Sam” held him off and we won it by a neck,” Verruso said.

In third place, three lengths farther back, were Hallanet and Minore.

For Verruso, it was his first win in Billings action this season.

After eight legs of the seven month Billings Series, Hannah Miller’s 70 points are 20 better than runner-up Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff’s 50. Verruso is currently third in points with 34 while Paul Minore and James “Jimmy Boy” Marshall III, each with 29 points, round out the top five.