by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — He came, he saw and now he’s trying to conquer.

When Eric Goodell, one of the perennial leading drivers in Michigan, decided to gather his belongings and move east it was easy to recognize his objective undoubtedly was to compete where the video gaming terminals fuel the purse accounts.

His transition started slowly and his driving talents went virtually unnoticed for weeks. But then he began to get some catch-drives and, as what usually happens for a man with talent, he began to win races.

Though he now competes at both Monticello Raceway and Yonkers Raceway, he appears to have found a new home in the beautiful Catskill Mountains.

Arguably his best day to date at the Mighty M came on Tuesday afternoon, January 23, when the diminutive reinsmen scored four driving victories on the card.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Tough Customer rallies to victory in the $12,500 pacing feature on Tuesday.

His premier victory of the afternoon came in the $12,500 pacing feature when he guided Tough Customer to a come-from-behind victory in a time of 1:57.

As the gate sprung, Tough Customer got away slowly and was sixth at the quarter pole in a soft :29.2, some eight lengths off the lead. As the field headed for the midway point, Goodell moved his pacer to the outside and was second-over when the timer flashed :58.3.

Tough Customer proved to live up to his name after Goodell wheeled him three-deep up the backside and aronud the final turn, but the pacer was still four lengths behind the pace-setter, So Real (Billy Parker, Jr.) as the field straightened for home. But in the lane Tough Customer proved to be just that as the pacer rallied to score a one length victory. Flirtin Forever (Mike Merton) enjoyed a pocket trip behind So Real and though the passing lane opened for him the pacer couldn’t stave off the late charge from Tough Customer and had to settle for second money. So Real hung on for the show dough.

It was the second consecutive victory for Tough Customer, who is trained by Peggy Cardassi for patron Gary Tecler of Lakeland, Fla. Sent off at odds just over 2-1, Tough Customer paid $6.20 for win.

Goodell started the afternoon with a 1:58.3 victory behind The Grand Poopa ($7.10) in the fourth race and scored with Allamerican Macro ($9.20) in 1:57.2 in the seventh. He capped the day with a 1:57.2 victory with P H Breakaway ($7.30) in the final race on the card.

With his four victories Goodell now has 20 at the Mighty M, which ranks him second on the local leaderboard behind Larry Stalbaum’s 32.

Speaking of Stalbaum, he reined Burrell A to a 1:56.2 victory in the pacing co-feature, which was already the third seasonal triumph for the Australian-bred 8-year-old gelding who is owned by Kim Asher of Leslie, Michigan and Michael Sorentino of Yonkers, New York.