Ppk5/8 - Joe Pavia Jr. Joins 5,000 Win Club

It took until the final race of the night and some near misses in recent programs along the way, but driver Joe Paiva Jr. persisted as he has his entire career and earned his 5,000th lifetime win in the bike on the Wednesday evening, March 14 program at The Isle Casino Pompano Park. Pavia reached the milestone with 6-5 race favorite L Dees Hutspa, a four year old mare by Bettor's Delight-Heir To Treasure, owned and trained by Tracy Brainard of DeLeon Springs, FL.

"It's great to get this milestone over with, it always seems like you have a lot of close calls before you get one like this" Pavia said in a live TV interview. "I'm really thankful to (trainer) Tracy Brainard for giving me these two live drives tonight. I really wanted to get this milestone here in Florida since I've been wintering here for close to thirty years, since I was in my very early 20's so it's home to me, my wife Dawn, and our son, as much as anywhere else is" he added.

That's 5,000 times he's finished first under the wire for 51 year old horseman Joe Pavia Jr. The veteran of three decades of winter competition at Pompano reached the driving milestone in the 10th race of the Wednesday, March 14 program with four year old mare L Dees Hutspa, owned and trained by Tracy Brainard of DeLeon Springs, FL. (Skip Smith Photo)

At the time he reached 5,000 wins in the bike, the complete horseman hailing from Utica, NY was also on the verge of reaching $32 million in driving career purse earnings. Pavia also takes pride in the fact he also trains a 30 horse stable, including Open Mare Billie Blue Chip and 2012 New York Sires Stakes three year old colt pace hopeful Steelhead Hanover. At Pompano in recent years he was best known for campaigning Open Mare Esmeralda Semalu, who remains a category track holder at 1:49.4 set in March of 2009. This year's schedule calls for Pavia to ship to his Pennsylvania base at Pocono Downs on April 3rd.

"I still enjoy driving and the nightly competition but in three or four years you'll see me scale back to training only" Pavia concluded. "For now I'm enjoying the ride and the living I'm making which is largely possible because of my help and the great owners that are with me for this journey."