Bruce Aldrich, Jr. and Jimmy Marohn, Jr. have been tough to
beat on the racetrack and not leaving much for their competitors thus far this
week at Monticello Raceway.
Yesterday (Oct. 22) Aldrich won five races on the 10 race
card which was just what Marohn did on the Tuesday program. And checking the
Monday results one will find Aldrich’s name atop four winners that day, too.
“I’m a lucky guy getting first call to drive for trainer Bob
Lounsbury,” Aldrich said after Wednesdays card was completed. “When I get up
behind a horse that he trains I know I have a chance to win.”
Aldrich began the soggy afternoon by winning the first race
with Move Blue Chip ($2.60) in 1:59.3 for Bob, John, and James Dill. Then
Aldrich didn't get his picture taken again until he won the sixth race with Go
Go Buckeye ($7.10) for owner Woody Hoblitzell in time of 1:59.3.
Aldrich came right back to cop the seventh with the Philip
Schultz-owned and Bob Lounsbury-trained Vincent Fra ($3.60) in 1:58.1 which
marked the claiming pacer’s 15 seasonal triumph.
After finishing third in the eight race Aldrich then
proceeded to win the final two on the card. He won the ninth with Gray Thunder
Stable’s, The Perfect Dream ($6.50) in 2:02.3 and then romped to victory in the
finale with Phillip Schultz’s trotter Scottish Cross ($2.30) in 1:59.2, another
Lounsbury pupil.
Both Aldrich and Marohn have the luxury of driving for the
top stables on the grounds, the former for Bob Lounsbury and the latter for
Danny Gill.
Jimmy Marohn, Jr. did win a race on the card with the
Gill-trained Talldarknhandsome ($3.70) in 1:59.3 for owners Ed and James Hall.
And speaking of Gill, the next win from his barn will be his 1000th
as a trainer.
Aldrich leads the local driving colony currently with 294
winners while Marohn is third best with 167. And both rank nationally;
Aldrich’s 493 wins places him sixth on the North American leaderboard while
Marohn’s 290 ranks him 25th.
