Freehold, NJ — Tony “the Capo” Verruso bided his time in fifth position in the early going then when he approached the three-quarters he rallied longshot P L Layla to the lead and coasted home an easy 2:01 winner in the Billings Trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon (May 4) and rewarded his faithful with a $62.80 win mutuel.

Uriel and Annie “Get Your Gun” Stoebe cut the early fractions but yielded to Boss Du Fosse and driver “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo as the field approached the third stanza. However, Faraldo’s charge tired in the lane and finished out of the money.

Meanwhile, P L Layla and Verruso, third at the three-quarters, took command as the field rounded the final turn and then held off hard-charging Landonfitz and driver Dave “the Rave” Offenberg to score the daughter of Glidemaster’s second seasonal triumph. Third place went to Cheeky Little Minx in rein to “Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio.

After five starts on bigger racetracks with limited success perhaps the return to the half-mile oval was to P L Layla’s liking for in early March she was victorious at Freehold in 1:59.4.

The race marked the return of two-time Amateur Driver of the Year “Hurricane Hannah” Miller, but her Jacks To Open started from post seven, had major road trouble, and finally finished fifth.

P L Layla, a Glidemaster 4-year-old mare, trained by Danielle Dailey, is owned by Joe Scanio and Bart Fooden.

The Billings Series returns to Freehold Raceway on May 11.