For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Thursday, November 6, 2014

5-BAGGER FOR JIMMY TAGGART, JR. ON TUESDAYAT MONTICELLO RACEWAY

Since 2011 Jimmy Taggart has won plenty of races here at Monticello Raceway but it’s been nearly three years since he has driven five winners on one card. However, on the 11-race Tuesday (Nov.  4) card the talented reinsman added another milestone to his resume when he drove five winners.

Taggart, who passed the 3000 career win plateau last season, began his afternoon with a 1:56.3 victory with Luanne Case’s pacer, Shark Income ($16.40) and followed that with a 1:59 triumph with Jimmy Doherty Jr. and Jodie Doherty’s trotter, Tobell ($4.10).

Taggart’s next victory was behind Flirting With Disaster Stable’s, Myra’s Hiho ($3.10) in a time of  1:58.1 and then Jimmy proceeded to win the final two races on the card.

He won the afternoon’s pacing feature with Phillip Schultz’s pacer Ideal Bid ($3.20) in a time of 1:54 and then copped  the 11th and final race with Gerald Decker’s Kennanskingwilliam ($3.00) in a time of 1:56.1.

Taggart, with his even temperament, just takes his winning in stride and he’s not very vocal about it, and for that matter, or anything else he does. He did however say that he had some horses in the right place  and that they raced real good for him.

The 44 year old catch-driver who gets first call from top trainer Gary Messenger, has already driven 201 winners this season and this season marks the fourth consecutive year that Taggart has won 200 or more races. His mounts thus far this season have earned nearly $750,000.

Currently Taggart is fourth in wins on the local leaderboard.

A product of the amateur ranks here at the Mighty M in the late 1980’s  when he  turned professional during the  1988 season Taggart now has 3303 driving victories to his credit.

                                                            -30-