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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

NR - JIMMY TAGGART, JR. SCORES HIS 3000Th WIN WITH A BEER DRINKING PACER



After a day where Jimmy Taggart, Jr. was a bridesmaid three times and also had  a trio of  third place finishes at Monticello Raceway,  he wasted no time today (July 24) to score his 3000th win.

It came in the very first race on the Wednesday  card when he ground-out a first-up trip  after the half with Always Right to finally wear down the pace-setter Jazz Band  and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. to  notch a 1:57.4  triumph by the shortest of noses.

“I really wasn’t sure that we won it. It was real close,” was about all that one could get out of Taggart after his milestone victory.

Are you happy now that you now have 3000 wins Taggart was asked?

“Yep,” was all the quiet, unassuming and well-liked reinsman added as he was joined by throngs of drivers, family and friends for a blanket presentation in the winner’ s circle after his victory.

Besides his family among those helping Taggart celebrate his 3000th win was longtime friend and fellow driver, Mike Merton.

“Although he is a few years older than I am, Jimmy,  George Brennan, my brother Greg  and I were all friends in  (Monticello) High School and we started together driving in the amateur races here in the late ‘80’s,” Merton said after the winners circle ceremony photos were taken.

“Jimmy’s always been a good guy and well liked by everybody.”

That was surely evident by the amount of people who joined Taggart in the winner’s circle.

However, just as happy as anyone was the horse’s owner Gary Matises who proudly held his pacer in the winner’s circle as the photos were snapped.

Always Right will get a beer again tonight when I feed him,”  Matises shouted.”He   loves beer and I always give him one after he wins or finishes second. ”

Assuming  Matises is telling it like it and since this was the pacer’s fifth seasonal triumph, Always Right has enjoyed eight beers thus far this year.