by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Harness driver Ricky Still logged four wins in four races on Friday night at Ocean Downs Racetrack.

Still whose career best is five wins in one night, now has seven victories in the current 40 day live meet at the Ocean Oval, taking over the driver’s title lead by one over Mark Gray, who also won four races on opening night last Saturday. Gray won a pair on Friday night and now has six first place finishes after four nights of racing at Ocean Downs.

The 33-year-old Still finished third in the driver’s title race last summer with 30 wins in 173 starts.

On Thursday night, veteran driver Sam Belote reached a milestone with his 2,000th career win. Belote is from a harness racing family, which includes his father John Belote, Jr. and brother Harold. Sam Belote began his driving career at the age of 22 with a third place finish behind an 80-1 horse at Laurel Raceway between Washington and Baltimore, but loves racing at the beach.

“It’s fun for me (at Ocean Downs) because I grew up with this, the atmosphere and the beach here. My horses always seem to thrive here. I won my first driving title here,” said Belote who won three driving titles and a trainer’s title at Ocean Downs in the mid-70’s. Sam Belote now trains 12 horses, seven at the ocean.

Asked what’s most enjoyable about racing for him, Belote promptly says, “Winning; you could be racing for a burlap bag and you beat seven other horses and seven other guys. It’s a competitive thing.”

Congratulations Sam Belote.

Ocean Downs is in its 56th year of live racing. The current meet runs through August 28 with 10 races Wednesday through Sunday. First post is 7:25 p.m.