Last Thursday night’s (November 10) fifth race was more than just a $3,400 trotting event, and driver Jim Lackey was thrilled to go out there and win the Stan Bergstein Memorial Trot with D Man for owner Maurice Sigmon and trainer Larry Hastings.
In hindsight, the 4-year-old trotter was a steal at 4-1, making every pole a winning one in the affair after coming out of back-to-back efforts where he chased home the top trotters on the grounds in Putoneonnetformom and Franks Best.
"He's a good little horse that raced good, “ Lackey noted. “It was special and an honor to win the Stan Bergstein Memorial, given that Stan was one of the greatest ambassadors that our sport has ever had and someone who truly gave his heart and soul to harness racing.”
The victory with D Man was No. 3,245 in Chip’s career with nearly $14.5 million in earnings. The 59-year-old pilot has been a mainstay in the California ranks for nearly four decades and you won’t find a nicer individual on any backstretch.
Lackey was asked what has changed the most during his tenure as a harness driver.
“You have to remember that when I started out at Hollywood Park, many of the drivers were in their 40s, 50s and 60s, guys like Jack and Bobby Williams, Joe O’Brien and Jim Dennis.
“In those days, driving with finesse and working out a trip were a lot more important. Now it’s a much more aggressive style of driving, always moving, especially when you have the best horse. I really saw this when I back East, and it’s very true on the smaller tracks.”
