During the 2013 season Bruce Aldrich, Jr. won his fourth
driving title at Monticello Raceway. His 450 winners were 146 more than
runner-up Jimmy Marohn’s 304.and although his 450 wins are second best behind
Zeke Parker’s 526 in 1995, for Aldrich that was just half of the
story.
Although he won races steadily every month Aldrich’s output
here during December was nothing short of amazing. He had an eight-win day, a
seven-win day, and four six- win afternoons, and his six driving victories on
December 31 placed him in a tie for second in wins in North America with Dave
Palone when the curtain came down on the 2013 season. Each accumulated 645
victories during the year but Ronnie Wrenn Jr.’s 714 was tops in North America.
Aldrich, a longtime favorite at the Mighty M, also won
driving titles here in 2001, 2010 and 2011.
“It seemed I couldn’t do anything wrong during December and
I reached my personal goal of 600 wins early in the month. I was lucky to be
driving live mounts and I guess put them in the right spots and the wins added
up. But driving at both Monticello and Saratoga, many times on the same day,
took its toll but I’m certainly proud of what I accomplished this
year,” Aldrich said.
Trailing Aldrich (450) and Marohn, Jr. (304)and rounding out
the top five in driving victories in2013 were Jimmy Devaux (229), Jimmy
Taggart, Jr. 214, and Zeke Parker (202).
And 2013 was the year that trainer Bob Lounsbury emerged as
a tour de force. Although he had won percentage trainer titles here in the past
his 202 training victories topped last year’s champion, Danny Gill who finished
with 192. But perhaps more incredible was his training percentage of .525
calculated from 541horses he sent to post.. That number was the best in North
America among trainers whose horses started 500-plus times. And for
the record, Danny Gill’s .401 UTR was second best on the continent.
Lounsbury’s 202 training victories was the second most ever
at Monticello Raceway behind Joe Minieri’s 218 during the 1999 campaign.
“Danny and I had a lot of fun teasing one another and
although he had a lead going into December my horses had a great month and we
tied him in late December and went on to win the training title, my first
ever,” Lounsbury said. “I feel good about that but it’ll be hard to duplicate
the (2013) numbers again this year.”
Trailing Lounsbury (202) and Gill (192) rounding out
the top five in training victories during the 2013 season were Gary
Messenger (106), Peter Pellegrino (65) and Elisha Lafreniere (55).
