Far and away the biggest thing that has happened to amateur harness racing this season, can be said in just two words…Hannah Miller. The 24 year old daughter of top trainer Erv Miller has taken amateur racing by storm..no by a hurricane.
The 24 year old miss notched her second driving double on a betting card this year when she reined two winners in amateur events at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, Sept.19. An outstanding devotee of amateur racing Miller travels far and wide to participate in amateur events.
She's known as "Hurricane Hannah" when racing in the CKG Billings Series and driving predominantly against male counterparts she not only draws attention from her competitors but also by the betting public.
At Freehold Raceway on Saturday she won her Billings contest with Jacks To Open in a time of 2:00.3 despite the horse's contentiousness.
"Jack was a little head strong and I didn't want to wrestle with him too much," Hannah said. "I was being a little cautious in the first turn since he hasn't been on a half in a while so I bided my time first-over and we were able to get there."
Although they never were along he pylons Miller sat calm in the sulky while "Coach Paul" Minore cut the swift early fractions with Wygant Prince.
Still on the limb up the backside Jacks To Open marched steadily forward and raced head-to-head with Minore's trotter to the top of the lane. Finally on the lead as the field headed for paydirt Jacks To Open rebuffed a solid challenge from Permanent Joy and Bobby "Rapid Rail" Krivelin who shadowed Miller's charge throughout. At the wire Jacks To Open was a neck better that Permanent Joy with Kings Cavalier and Dave "Yes Its True" Offenberg another length back in third place.
Owned by Miller and the Nick Surick Stable, Jacks to Open, a 5 year old altered son of Conway Hall notched his seventh season triumph. He paid $4.00 for win.
In an earlier amateur trot in the GSY Series Miller scored a come -from- behind victory with Casanova Lindy in the identical time of 2:00:3.
"In Lindy's race I was looking to get to the lead but there were several leavers and luckily past the half I was able to get in the two hole and wait for the passing lane and my horse was the strongest through the stretch, Miller explained.
Second place went to Alternat Thursdays with Bob "the Headhunter" Hechkoff aboard while Krivekin took home the show dough with Cassa's Image.
Casanova Lindy, a 12 year old SJ's Photo gelding, is owned by his driver along with the Erv Miller Stable and Nick Surick Stable. It was the trotters 12th seasonal triumph. He paid $3.40 for win.
Both of Miller's winners are trained by Nick Surick who himself drove three winners on the Freehold card that afternoon.
"Hurricane Hannah" continues to be amateur racing's top story with amazing credentials. In 88 starts she has 25 wins, 17 seconds and 13 thirds which equates to a whopping .441UDR.
On Sunday evening (Sept 20) she will wing her way to Spain to join Joe Faraldo, Alan Schwartz and Joe Pennacchio as representatives of the North American Amateur Drivers Association when the NAADA vs Spain Friendship Competition II continues on Spanish soil later this week.
John Manzi