by John Manzi, for the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series

Monticello, NY — For amateur drivers, save Mal “Malabar Man” Burroughs and Bobby “Rapid Rail” Krivelin, a chance to race at the Meadowlands is arguably a highlight in their careers.

On Aug. 2 two races for amateur drivers went to post and when the dust had settled Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford and Mike “the Mortgage Man” Mitchell were victorious in their respective divisions.

Although both races were carded as Hambletonian Amateur Drivers, all the participants were members of the C.K.G. Billings Driving Series. One trot went non-betting and the other was the third race on the betting card and although all drivers were Billings members, four of the horses in the betting race did not fit the Billings conditions, thus their drivers couldn’t earn any points in the series.

“Just to drive over the famed mile oval is joyful enough,” said Kelly “Sky” Walker, who finished second in the betting race with Rush And Supreme, who didn’t fit Billings conditions. “Points or no points it’s still fun driving at the Meadowlands.”

“The Michigan Men prevailed,” Oldford said after Walker completed his comment. ”And the Sisco Stable won both races.”

Oldford, an automotive manufacturers rep from Croswell, Mich., whose stock is handled by Allen Sisco, scored a wire-to-wire win with his own Celtic Merchant in a 1:57.1 clocking, holding off a stubborn Wygant Prince and driver “Coach Paul” Minore in the non-wagering contest.

The betting race saw Mitchell, a mortgage broker from Burton, Mich., guide his trotter, B L Class Act, to a head victory over “Sky” Walker and Rush N Supreme in a 1:57 clocked mile. Mitchell also uses the services of professional trainer Allen Sisco.

In his contest Oldford went down the pike with Celtic Merchant, trotting fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.4 despite being challenged by Alan “the Intimidator” Schwartz with Get Chipped. When Schwartz’s trotter faded nearing the third stanza Minore took up chase with Wygant Prince and they battled Celtic Merchant to the wire, but they had to settle for second money as Oldford’s trotter kept them at bay.

Gerry “the Catskill Cat” Fielding and Dream Kid had a cover trip and they trotted by Get Chipped in the lane to earn the show dough. Get Chipped finished fourth.

For Oldford, the VP of the Billings Series, it was his seventh win this year and the 71st of his amateur driving career.

In the other split Mitchell’s trotter went a big trip from the eight hole. After settling down in third place on the first turn as the field moved toward the halfway point, Mitchell, sensing a slow pace and not wanting to get locked in by the second tier horses in the 10-horse race, moved his trotter to the outside and they made the front before the three-quarters.

From there it was a battle with “Sky” Walker’s Rush N Supreme through the long homestretch and although it took a photo to determine the winner, B L Class Act scored a head triumph over former Billings Gold Cup winner Rush N Supreme and his driver Kelly Walker. Third place went to Thehouseisrockin, driven by Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff.

Sent off at odds of over 5-1, B L Class Act, owned by Mitchell, won his fourth seasonal race and returned a $12.60 win mutuel. It was also the fourth season’s driving victory for “the Mortgage Man” who now has reined 34 winners in his amateur career.

“The majority of the horses entered in the amateur races here at the Meadowlands, and for that matter at most venues, are owned by their drivers which in itself is a good result of amateur racing. Amateur racing supports the industry because amateur drivers buy horses and nearly all hire professional trainers,” Oldford added.