Earlier this year, during the summer meet at Tioga Downs,
Marohn raked-in his second consecutive dash-win title there and now after
garnering the Mighty M crown one wonders how long it’ll be before he moves on
to the bigger offerings at the racetracks in metropolitan New York.
Trailing Marohn, Jr and Parker, Jr. in driving victories
were Greg Merton (237), Jimmy Taggart, Jr. (229) and Mike Forte (213). The 2012
season marked the first time that the top five driving leaders all topped 200
wins.
On the training side, Marohn’s main patron, Danny
Gill--whom he drives exclusively for-- scored a victory from his barn on
December 31st to become top trainer with 118 winners. In what was a
very tight three-way race to right to the end, Gill’s victory on the last day
of the Mighty M season solidified his championship by just a single triumph;
one more than Pete Pellegrino’s 117 wins and four more than Gary Messenger’s 114
victories. Bob Lounsbury’s 86 winners was fourth best while Elisha
Lafrenier’s 80 ranked her fifth among last year’s training colony.
Greg Merton, who did most of the driving for Pete
Pellegrino, finished as top percentage driver with a .387 average, some 44
points better than runner-up Bruce Aldrich Jr.’s .343. Rounding out the top
five were Jimmy Marohn, Jr. (340); Zeke Parker (.333) and Alan Schwartz (.286).
Pete Pellegrino was the meets leading percentage trainer
with a whopping .506 average. Runner-up Bob Lounsbury finished with .395
followed by Danny Gill’s .376. Elisha Lafrenier (.363) and Gary Messenger
(.338) completed the top five.
No driver had $1 million in purse earnings probably
because the playing field was leveled by with five drivers who had
seasonal wins ranging between 213 and 271. Still Jimmy Marohn, Jr. was
tops in purse earnings with $781,943 while Zeke Parker’s $758,071 was second
best. Jimmy Taggart’s $695,916 ranked him third ahead of Mike
Forte’s $690,191. Fifth place went to Greg Merton with $594,457.
Among the trainers, Gary Messenger’s purse earnings of
$396,604 was tops and some $78,000 more than Danny Gill’s, $318,295. Third
place in purses won by a trainer went to Pete Pellegrino with $348,262.
Bob Lounsbury ($218,867) and Bruce Aldrich, Sr. ($203,335) rounded out the top
five.
Jimmy Taggart, Jr. had the most starts of any driver with
1716 trips to post. Among the trainers Gary Messenger’s 678
starters was tops.
