by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Just ten days after his 30^th birthday Claude Huckabone III reached a milestone in his driving career when he guided Allamerican Hero to a 2:02:3 victory in the third race at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon, January 29^th.

Huck III, as they call him in the Monticello backstretch, has been a welcomed edition to the local driving colony after he moved his base of operation to the Mighty M from his hometown track, Vernon Downs, three years ago.

During the latter part the 2002 season, his first full year atMonticello, Huckabone was named the 18^th recipient of the Monticello-Goshen Chapter USHWA’s Rising Star Award. His 148 wins at Monticello (269 overall) ranked him fifth on the drivers list. Proving his award was merited, Huckabone countered last year with 136 winners here (235 overall), again fifth best..

And he’s off to another good start this season. Currently Huckabone has driven 21 winners, third best behind Jimmy Devaux’s 28 and Zeke Parker’s 22.

A third generation horseman, Huckabone has followed in the footsteps of his dad, Claude, Jr and grandfather Claude, Sr. The family has been racing horses at Vernon Downs since the tracks inception in the early 1950’s.

A well liked young man who knew in the third grade that he wanted to be a harness driver started racing competitively at age 16. Right from the reel Huckabone displayed a talent for driving and that talent didn’t go unnoticed as the scribes in the Vernon Chapter USHWA bestowed their 26^th annual Dick Mumpton Memorial Award as best young driver on Huckabone at the end of the 2000 racing season.

Two years ago, while at Monticello, Huckabone made a bold move, deciding to relinquish his training duties opting to just catch-drive. And in spite of racing on smaller circuits he did quite well. But now he’s back with a 16-horse stable.

“ I was constantly away from my family and the traveling really took its toll on me,” he explained. “Besides, it’s a pleasure being in one place again.”