It seems like the local scribes can spot talent. In recent
years they cited Jordon Stratton and Jimmy Marohn, Jr. as Rising Stars for
their driving prowess at Monticello Raceway. And just check their records. Both
youngsters are now winning plenty of races and are developing into the
future stars in harness racing.
Last year, too, the area’s harness writers chose 21 year old
Austin Siegelman as their Rising Star at the Mighty M. And it appears that the
scribes are on the money again.
After he won the honor last fall Siegelman told a reporter
of his hometown newspaper, the Citizen’s Voice , “winning the Rising
Star Award definitely gives me a lot of confidence going forward. I plan
on being in this business for a long time and hopefully this is just the beginning
of great things to come.”
On Wednesday afternoon at the Mighty M, the youngster had
his first hat trick of the season. He scored with Carribbean Pirate ($6.40)in
2:00.3 in the first race and then came back to cop the second with My
Cinnamon Girl ($12.00) in 2:04.4. Siegelman’s third win came when he
guided In Regal Attire ($5.10)home first in a time of 2:04.1.
From a limited amount of starts thus far this season among
Siegelman’s 19 wins are victories in ‘the big time’ at Yonkers Raceway and the
Meadowlands.
Last season he began driving horses for veteran trainer
Chris Marino and their union has been good for both. It was with one of
Marino’s horses that the 21 year old Siegelman became the youngest driver to
set a track record here when he guided Mymomsablizzard to a 1:57 victory which
equaled the mark for older trotting mares at Monticello Raceway.
Again this season Siegelman is driving horses trained by
Marino.
“Chris has some nice horses and I’m lucky to be driving for
him,” Siegelman said.
And Marino is high on Seigelman.
“He’s a nice young man and he was brought up right,” Marino
said of Siegelman. “Although he’s young he drives a horse really well.
I’m very satisfied with what he has done for me.”
Racing fans will definitely read about the future success of the 21 year old driver. And since he showed that he can handle himself against the leading drivers in metropolitan New York all he needs now is the stock to compete again them on a regular basis.
