Bring on Ronnie Wrenn ,Jr. Those words weren’t actually
spoken but it’s a good bet that Bruce Aldrich, Jr. feel that especially after
winning five races on Tuesday, December, 10 at Monticello Raceway with his
showdown with Wrenn looming Thursday (Dec.12). And it’s probably somewhat
comforting for Bruce that their upcoming Drive-Off will be on his
home turf.
“It might be a slight advantage but Ronnie is a great driver
and he especially knows has way around a half-mile track,” Aldrich said
yesterday at day’s end. “We each got to pick our own drives and it should be a
good competition on Thursday I just hope I’m not embarrassed.”
On the cold and dreary Tuesday afternoon the falling snow
made the racing surface muddy but it didn’t seem to bother Aldrich. In his
first drive on the card he won the second race with Mike Watson’s Mechanical
Bull ($5.30) in 2:03.3 and then came back in the next race to rein Mo Coo, Inc.
and Jonathan Klee Racing’s Thunder Seelster ( $2.10) home first in 1:59.1 for
the geldings 15th seasonal triumph. Win number three immediately
followed when he scored a 1:58.2 clocking with Norman
Kelapire and Jeffrey Burley’s Gota Go Bullville ($5.40).
Four races later Aldrich scored win number four with Buckeye
Baddler ($2.30), another pacer owned by Mo Coo Inc and Jonathan Klee racing and
then Aldrich won for the fifth time in race 10 with Nancy Fugere’s Hickory
Louie ($3.40) for the pacer’s 13th seasonal triumph and the third
training victory on the card for Bob Lounsbury.
And in the 13th and final race Aldrich just
missed a six-bagger when Machin Music-another Lounsbury-trained pacer, was
beaten just a nose in a time of 2:00.2.
“I had some power today and I put them in the right spot and
they fired,” is how Aldrich described his afternoon production. “ I
hope my mounts on Thursday are as live as the ones I drove today.”
It’s no secret that Aldrich is having his the best year of
his illustrious career. Since Y2K Aldrich has garnered four driving
titles at the Mighty M and recorded the vast majority of his 4698
driving victories and this year he’s a cinch reach his goal of 600
wins this year.
However, Aldrich wasn’t the only one in the upcoming
Drive-Off to win on Tuesday. Wrenn added a pair of victories last night
at Northfield Park and now has 660 for the year which is tops on the continent.
