Anderson, IN — Rick Plano reached another milestone in his illustrious career as he recorded his 4,000th training victory at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday (June 23). Needing just one victory to secure the milestone win heading into the evening’s 12-race card, Plano piloted Empressive Hill to victory in the ninth race on the card.

Rick Plano’s friends and family were on hand to congratulate him on his training accomplishment. Dean Gillette Photography.

Plano wasted no time and sent the 3-year-old trotting filly straight to the front from post five. Empressive Hill set fractions of :28.1, :57, and 1:26.2 before utilizing a :28.2 closing quarter to secure the victory by nearly four lengths. The 1:54.4 final time equaled her seasonal best set last week in a qualifier at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. It was the first win of the season in her first start at three. Trained and driven by Plano, the daughter of Muscle Hill-Slice Slice Baby is owned in partnership by Jordan Derue, Bruce Soulsby, Alan Weisenberg, and Gil Short.

Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s Race Marketing team, along with Plano’s wife and friends, were in the winner’s circle to congratulate and acknowledge his momentous accomplishment.

With the win, Plano joins elite company in the sport of harness racing as one of the few trainer-drivers with a combined total of more than 10,000 wins. With 7,136 wins recorded as a driver, the 69-year-old veteran reinsman has amassed more than $32 million in purse earnings throughout his career and reached the million dollar mark in five of the last ten seasons as a driver.

Plano, a native of Frankfort, N.Y., began his harness racing career in 1973 and has since secured leading training and driving titles at tracks throughout the country. Currently Plano is among the top 20 in both the leading trainer and leading driver standings at Harrah’s Hoosier Park for the 2021 season.

Live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Thursday (June 24). For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.