by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — After Kevin Hough had a good year in the Midwest during the 2008 campaign, when he won 153 races and finished with a .300 UDR, he moved his base of operation to the east coast. He first landed at Monticello Raceway, where initially wins came sparingly. True, he wasn’t driving very competitive stock but he showed enough talent to catch the eyes of the local scribes who presented him with their “Rising Star Award” at the end of the 2009 season.

Monticello photo

Kevin Hough had four winners on Monday at Monticello Raceway.

On Monday afternoon (Oct. 4) at Monticello Raceway, Hough had one of his best days since coming east when he reined four winners on the card.

Victory number one came in the second race behind Laura Perino’s Juiced Up in a time of 2:03.3 and then Hough reeled off two more consecutive wins. He scored in the third race with Mickey Goldin’s Peteantnart in 1:59.4 and then won the fourth with Steve Moore and Ben Versaci’s Cutting In Line 2:02.3. Hough made it four wins on the card when he scored a 2:00.4 victory with Tom Wine’s Nikoleta in the ninth race.

When asked how he felt winning four races on Monday he quickly chirped: “It was good, man, it was real good.

“This is the first time I won four races here in the east, but I did win five one night in Toledo (at Raceway Park). When I first came here I didn’t want to step on any toes and tried to fit in quietly but now I’m driving more aggressively and when you do that you drive more confidently.”

Hough, who turned 23 years of age in February, now has 59 wins on the season, of which 44 are here at the Mighty M. In just a few seasons in the sulky he currently has 386 lifetime winners and purses in excess of $1.27 million.