by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Sophisticat notched her 17th seasonal victory when Bruce Aldrich, Jr. guided the trotting mare to yet another wire-to-wire triumph at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 10). The time of 2:00.3 was just two ticks off her seasonal best.

Geri Schwarz photo

Sophisticat won for the 17th time and leads all trotters in North America in races won this year.

With her victory the 5-year-old daughter of Earl continues to lead all other trotters in North America in races won this season. Her 17 wins are two more than the current runners-up, Scorpion Moon, Mr Invincible and Starbux Eden.

With seven weeks still remaining during the 2010 season at the Mighty M, Sophisticat has an outside chance to equal, or maybe even break, the local track record of 22 wins in a single season set by a pacer by the name of Golden Storm GB back in 1985.

Racing mainly for a $10,000 tag Sophisticat has five seconds and five thirds to go along with her 17 wins and she has purse earnings of $46,500 for co-owners April Aldrich and Stan Indig.

“I believe it’s a lot to ask of her (Sophisticat) to have 22 wins before the end of this year because she’ll have to win five more times in the seven weeks remaining,” noted driver Bruce Aldrich, Jr. “It’ll be a monumental task but it’s not an impossibility.”