by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — There may be such a thing as “horses for courses” but when it comes to harness racing drivers it doesn’t matter where, or on what size racetrack, that they compete on.

Take Yannick Gingras for instance. The talented reinsman is at home whether he’s driving over the mile oval at the Meadowlands or at the half-mile tracks of Freehold Raceway or Monticello Raceway.

At the Big M his 27 driving victories thus far this season places him second on the leaderboard, one win behind Ron Pierce’s 28.

This year Gingras is also a semi-regular at the Mighty M, if one can call one-day-a-week a semi-regular.

For the past few Tuesday afternoons, the transplanted Canadian has been competing at Monticello Raceway, and, as one would expect from a driver of talent, his performances are always top-notch.

He began January 30 with 6 wins in 21 starts and when that afternoon card was finished, Gingras’ win total at the Mighty M jumped up to 11. Gingras won five races on the program and when that number was added to his other seasonal victories it brought his yearly total to 58, which currently ranks him eighth in North America in races won.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Your Best Bet was the third winner on the Tuesday card for Yannick Gingras and the second for owner Larry Roman.

Gingras began the day with a stunning 1:56.2, three length victory behind Allan Davis’ Jates Jake ($4.80) in the first race and then he won the fourth with Larry Roman’s Spinner ($3.20) in a time of 1:57. Gingras’ next triumph was in the seventh race when he guided Your Best Bet ($3.30) — another Larry Roman-owned pacer — to a 1:56.2 victory and win number four came in the ninth when he guided Bill Mullin’s Fox Valley Assault ($4.60) home first in a 1:58.3 clocking. When Gingras reined To Ri Arnold N ($11.00) to a 1:57.3 victory in the 10th race it not only gave him a five-bagger on the afternoon card but also gave Bill Mullin, who also conditions Fox Valley Assault, a training double.

During the 2003 racing season Gingras’ 426 driving victories helped to earn him the nation’s “Rising Star Award” from the United States Harness Writers Association.

Not yet 28 years of age — he’ll pass that milestone on August 4 — the 5 foot 5 inch, 135 pounder has already reined 1,817 winners in his young career and that total will undoubtedly soar over the coming seasons.