by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — There were a number of story lines after the completion of racing at Ocean Downs on Wednesday, August 1. A driver posting his 1,000th career win, last year’s Horse of the Meet winning her sixth straight Ocean Oval this summer, the first leg of the Hal Belote Memorial Late Closer Series and the competition for top driver continuing as Robinson and Milby log multiple wins.

It was a special night for veteran driver Kim (Kimothy) Vincent. The 47-year-old horseman had the reigns for 5-year-old mare TW Alley and took the 4-5 favorite to her maiden win ($3.00). For the Seaford, Delaware native, it was his 1,000th victory in a career which began in 1978 and has spanned 24 years of active driving. He was joined in the winner’s circle by a large contingency of family and friends.

“I was really happy to do it here. I drove my first race here. The horses name was CB Ace, he was my father’s horse,” Vincent fondly recalls. “My father (Donald) was a lifetime horseman.”

Vincent is racing this summer at Ocean Downs and Chester, but has competed at many tracks as he continues to add to his lifetime career driving earnings of over $3.5 million.

“I’ve been all over. I’ve been to every race track in the country.”

Vincent has a fondness though for Ocean Downs, now in its 59th year of live racing.

“This has been home to me for many summers. I really enjoy it here.”

He now lives in Felton, Delaware and recalls a special race at the Ocean in 1992 when he had a horse in the ninth and final leg of the prestigious North American Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-olds.

“I had a horse in there. Actually I trained him. His name was Storm Fella. We had raced him all up and down the Eastern Seaboard, Vernon, Pocono, Yonkers, and the final was here,” he said recalling the final with a $50,000 purse. “He was good enough to make the final and we got lucky and he raced well, finishing third.”

That race was won by Stylish Cam in an impressive 1:54.2.

Vincent had the most driving wins in his career in 1991 when he had 122 first-place finishers. His highest annual driving earnings were in 1988 when his horses earned over $523,000. He has also had 95 training wins, although he only trained actively for seven years. Vincent had only two starts and no wins from 1999 through 2005.

“Every once in a while you need a little break and I just took one,” he explained.

He wasted no time getting back to business Wednesday, taking 9-year-old gelding Come Back Cat to a win ($7.60) only two races later.

Another highlight Wednesday was the sixth straight win this summer at the Ocean for last summer’s Horse of the Meet, Whitesville Tara. The Gary White owned and trained 6-year-old mare’s win came in the opening leg of the Hal Belote Memorial Late Closer Trot Series ($2.80). Driver W. David Hill knew Hal Belote well.

“We had the same barn together. He was a good man and good horseman, especially when it came to trotters,” Hill recalled.

The Tagliabue mare took her customary spot on the front Wednesday with Hill in the bike and then withstood a strong challenge from Ray Robinson and 8-year-old gelding Contessa’s Victory to win her eighth race this year.

The other division of the Hal Belote Stakes series was won by 5-year-old gelding RT Phoebes Giant ($2.80), driven by Ray “Shorty” Robinson.

Robinson’s driving triple on Wednesday gives him 38 wins for the summer meet, three better than Frank Milby, who stayed close in the driver’s chase with two wins.

Live racing continues a Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday format through August 25 with a nightly 7:35 p.m. first post. Parking and admission are free. For more information, call the track at (410) 641-0600.