Northfield, OH-– Jazmin "the Little Flower" Arnold is really beginning to make a name for herself. The diminutive lady from Xenia, Ohio, just keeps doing what she knows best and that is driving harness racing winners and recently in the midwest region of the Billing Trotting Series
On Sunday evening (Nov. 10) Arnold scored again when she reined Celebrity Pegasus to a romping six-length 1:55 triumph over Kelly "Sky" Walker's, Keystone Blade, in the $6000 Billings Trot.
For the rising star it was her 22nd driving victory this season. True, more that half were on the Ohio County Fair circuit, but since gaining her full license she has been dominating her veteran Billings competitors at many pari-mutuel venues.
Her victory on Sunday was her third consecutive – all with different Herman Hagerman-trained horses- at Nothfield Park.
Her journey to victory on Sunday took an overland route from when she hustled Celebrity Pegasus to the lead from the five-hole and after wicked early half-mile fractions of :27.3 and 55.3, her trotter finally made the front. And once on top Arnold kept the pedal to the metal and the 7-year-old son of Andover Hall led the competition by the third stanza in 1:24.4, and through the stretch Celebrity Pegasus cruised to an easy victory.
After parking the winner in the early going "Sky" Walker's Keystone Blade hung on for second money while Lavern "Michigan" Miller took home the show dough with Sea Fearher.
The winner, owned by Morgan Hagerman, returned a $4.80 mutuel.
by John Manzi, for the Billings Series