After a day where Jimmy Taggart, Jr. was a bridesmaid three
times and also had a trio of third place finishes at Monticello
Raceway, he wasted no time today (July 24) to score his 3000th
win.
It came in the very first race on the Wednesday card
when he ground-out a first-up trip after the half with Always Right to
finally wear down the pace-setter Jazz Band and driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr.
to notch a 1:57.4 triumph by the shortest of noses.
“I really wasn’t sure that we won it. It was real close,”
was about all that one could get out of Taggart after his milestone victory.
Are you happy now that you now have 3000 wins Taggart was
asked?
“Yep,” was all the quiet, unassuming and well-liked reinsman
added as he was joined by throngs of drivers, family and friends for a blanket
presentation in the winner’ s circle after his victory.
Besides his family among those helping Taggart celebrate his
3000th win was longtime friend and fellow driver, Mike Merton.
“Although he is a few years older than I am, Jimmy,
George Brennan, my brother Greg and I were all friends in
(Monticello) High School and we started together driving in the amateur races
here in the late ‘80’s,” Merton said after the winners circle ceremony photos
were taken.
“Jimmy’s always been a good guy and well liked by
everybody.”
That was surely evident by the amount of people who joined
Taggart in the winner’s circle.
However, just as happy as anyone was the horse’s owner Gary
Matises who proudly held his pacer in the winner’s circle as the photos were
snapped.
Always Right will get a beer again tonight when I feed
him,” Matises shouted.”He loves beer and I always give him
one after he wins or finishes second. ”
Assuming Matises is telling it like it and since this
was the pacer’s fifth seasonal triumph, Always Right has enjoyed eight beers
thus far this year.
