Being sent off as the odds-on favourite with Sum It Up, driver Joey ‘The Jet’ Putnam was undaunted after starting from the five-hole during the Billings Harness Driving Series at Miami Valley Raceway on Sunday (April 29).
Putnam sent his charge to the front and then made every pole a winning one en route to a 1:57.1 triumph in his first start as a member of the driving series.
In an evenly-rated mile, Putnam was well in hand at the finish, as he won by one and a half lengths over Cantcutthatchip (driven by Gregg ‘Fast Greggy’ Keidel). Ronan (‘Lawbook Larry’ Farley) finished third, some 17-lengths behind the first two finishers.
Putnam is a 20-year-old college student and is the son of talented Midwest horseman Joe Putnam. Joey is part of the youth movement employed this season by Billings vice president Steve Oldford to bolster the amateur ranks in the series’ Midwest regional division.
The next Billings event is slated in the Eastern division series at Freehold Raceway on Saturday, May 5.
(With files from the Billings Series)