by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway
Monticello, NY — Edie’s Desire has done it again. On the Monday (Dec. 12) card at Monticello Raceway, the 5-year-old Real Desire mare scored her 18th seasonal victory which now leaves her just one win shy of equaling the North American leader, Mack Hill.
Bruce Aldrich, Jr. was in the sulky and guided Edie’s Desire to a gate-to-wire triumph in a time of 1:58.4. Oddly, Aldrich is also the regular driver of Blue Creek Angie, who in spite of getting beat on Monday — she finished second — also has 18 seasonal triumphs.
Some may remember that a while back Edie’s Desire’s former owner didn’t want the mare because she couldn’t do at Pocono Downs, where he races. So he offered the mare for $3,000 on the internet but received no takers.
However, when Bob Lounsbury, her trainer, said to the owner, “since you offered her for $3,000 online would you sell her to me at that price?” a deal was struck and Edie’s Desire stayed in the Lounsbury barn and became the property of Lounsbury’s girlfriend, Margaret Olmstead.
“Since we purchased her in late July, Edie’s Desire has won ten races and has earned well over $22,000 for us,” a pleased Lounsbury said after the mare won yet another race on Monday.
In all, Edie’s Desire has bankrolled $35,634 this year on the strength of her 18 wins, five seconds and eight thirds in 42 starts.
“I’m sure a good part of Edie’s Desire’s success this year is that she gets loving care from her groom, Nancy Fugere,” Lounsbury added. “Nancy really dotes special care on the mare and it shows. You can’t underestimate the importance of a good caretaker.”
Lounsbury wasn’t alone in citing the competence of caretaker Nancy Fugure. The local scribes honored her with their “Caretaker of the Year Award” at their annual banquet in late October.
Lounsbury’s barn has had a prolific season again this year. His 50 training wins ranks him among the top ten on the local trainers’ leaderboard and his .490 UTR is at the top of the heap.
Aldrich, who won three races on Monday, now has a comfortable lead in his battle with Zeke Parker for most driving victories at the Mighty M this year despite the fact that Parker won four races on the card. Unless Parker can come up with some kind of a miracle over the remaining 11 race cards here, it’s probably time to put a circle around Aldrich’s name as Monticello Raceway’s leading driver during the 2011 campaign.