The Zeke Parker countdown is over. On Thursday afternoon (
September 12) Parker won a pair of races at Monticello Raceway and in doing so
he passed Walter Case, Jr. in career driving victories and became the
sixth winningest driver in the sport.
Parker now has driven 11039 winners in his career one better
than Case’s total.
A 2:01.1 victory with trotter Hardrock Kid in the fifth race
brought Parker even with Case at 11038 and Zeke’s milestone
triumph MD Bee Bee gave
him sole possession of sixth place on the North American
career leaderboard.
The pacer, owned by John Stubits of nearby Liberty, NY, was
sent off the prohibitive favorite in the race in which a sudden
cloudburst, with thunder and lightning, sent the parading horses back to the
paddock until the downpour passed.
Back on the track the pacers headed for the starting gate
and when the race was off Parker and MD Bee Bee paced to the front and
made every pole a winning one en route to a 1:56.2 triumph.
“I proud of what I have accomplished so far and hope to
continue driving for many years,” said the 59 year old Maine native. “Being
sixth all-time is a great but I feel bad for Casey. Except for a few a
starts at Plainridge a few years ago he has driven a horse in nearly 10
years. Imagine how many races he would have won if he was still driving.”
Although Parker stole the headlines of the day Jimmy
Taggart, Jr. had an outstanding afternoon by reining five winners on the
card. He won with Mike Sorentino and Frank Canzone’s, Game Jocko ($6.20) i in
1:57.1 in thwe third and c ame back in the next race to rein Winbak Farm’s and
Rebecca Williams’ sophomore trotter, US Goalie, to a 2:03.1 triumph
Taggart then won the eight with Brenda Messenger’s Lauxmont
Capri ($5.00) in 1:55.3 and then copped the ninth with 3-year-old trotter
Let’s Just Dance ($15.80) in 2:03.4, whose also owned by Brenda Messenger.
Taggart finished his afternoon win skein witjh
2:00.2 victory with Jack & Rose DeLuca’s Another Mike ($5.30).
With his five victories on Thursday Taggart has reined 182
winners this year and raised his lifetime total to 3051.
Also of note was Bruce Aldrich, Jr.’s four-bagger on the
card. With those wins Aldrich is now fifth in races won on the North American
leaderboard with 419
