by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — For Bruce Aldrich, Jr. the beat goes on. Monticello Raceway’s driving leader reined four more winners on the Wednesday (July 31) program and now has 229 for the current meet. When that total is added to his seasonal resume, Aldrich now has 340 wins, which ranks him tied for sixth on the North American leaderboard.

“I’m having the best season of my career,” Aldrich said. “Now that I’ve given up training I can concentrate more on my driving.”

Geri Schwarz photo

Bruce Aldrich, Jr. has driven 340 winners so far in 2013.

For many years Aldrich had the biggest stable on the grounds at The Mighty M and for the first decade of the 21st Century — through 2009 — he won more races than any other driver here, although he only registered one driving title driving that period. He did, however, win top honors here again in 2010 and 2011 and in his illustrious career he has currently reined 4,445 winners.

With five months remaining before the curtain comes down on this season Aldrich has a very good chance to top his most prolific season which was during 2010 when he won 451 races.

Although Aldrich has won many races every year, and of course it’s early, but previously he never cracked the top 10 nationally in driving victories.

“I’m very lucky to be able to drive ‘live’ horses for some of the top trainers at both Monticello and Saratoga,” he said. “But, let me tell you, it’s hard work racing at both tracks, many times on the same days.”

For Aldrich to drive horses in the afternoon at Monticello Raceway and then head north to Saratoga Harness for night time action puts plenty of miles on his car.

“I try to stay on the Interstate as much as possible and although the route I take from Monticello to Saratoga is a little longer, I’m always on four-lane highways the way I go,” Aldrich explains.

Aldrich figures his one-way trip is almost 180 miles.

“With each track’s racing schedule I only have to travel that distance two or three times a week. But let me tell you, it wears you down,” he added.

Aldrich hustles up the highway when he’s driving on both cards, sometimes cutting out from the Mighty M before the entire program is completed.

“I have to do that sometimes,” he said, referring to occasionally not driving in the late races at Monticello. “It takes me well over two hours to get to Saratoga and they start at 7:30 (p.m.) so I don’t have much down time.”

On Wednesday (July 31) both Monticello and Saratoga had racing cards and Aldrich stayed until the 13th race at Monticello to drive Jazz Band to a 1:56.1 victory — his fourth on the card — for trainer Bob Lounsbury.

“I got a late start but Bob puts me on all his horses so I wanted to stay and drive for him yesterday even though it would make me late getting to Saratoga,” he admitted.

Aldrich didn’t drive at Saratoga until the fourth race last night and he did win a race there.

“The judges work with me as long as I keep them notified as to where I am and what time I’ll be there,” he added. “It’s a grueling schedule but I’m doing what I love to do — drive horses.”