Monticello, NY — On Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 28), Jim Taggart Jr. notched a career milestone, earning his 5,000th career driving win while piloting GD Striker in the eighth race at Monticello Raceway.

GD Striker gave driver Jim Taggart Jr. his 5,000th career driving win. Geri Schwarz photo.

GD Striker ($3.20) wired the field by five lengths in 2:01.2 over New York Attitude (Renaldo Morales III) and London Hanover (Bruce Aldrich Jr.)

The 49-year-old Taggart, a Pennsylvania native, has been a fixture of the Mighty M for decades and has enjoyed much success with trainer Gary Messenger. Coincidentally, it was a Messenger-trained horse that earned Taggart his 5,000th win.

GD Striker, a 4-year-old Guccio gelding owned by Jason Darling, picked up his first win of the 2020 season.

Taggart, the leading dash winning driver at Monticello in 2019, has earned over $24 million in purses through his career. This season, he is presently in third place at Monticello with 17 wins, trailing Bruce Aldrich Jr. (19) and Greg Merton (18).