by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Jimmy Taggart, Jr. is back home at Monticello Raceway, where he started his career as an amateur driver in the late 1980s. A few years later he became one of the leading drivers at The Mighty M and then gravitated to Pocono Downs where he was among that track’s top reinsmen.

Thus far the 41-year-old driver has amassed a total of 2,327 driving victories. And on Monday (Feb. 28), Taggart added three more wins and now has 36 at the current meet.

That afternoon started out gloomy with a heavy fog settling over the landscape, and though it didn’t cause any problems for the drivers it did, however, make Howard Oil, the race announcer, do a little ad-libbing in his early race calls.

Geri Schwarz photo

While shrouded in fog before the weather cleared, We Shall See N (#6) and Taggart rallied to victory.

The first race was shrouded in fog and when the field became discernable in mid-stretch Taggart and Mike D’Abbraccio’s We Shall See N ($5.70) forged to the front and they were a one length winner in a time of 2:03.

Taggart’s next victory came in race number six when he hustled Meadow Singer N Stables’ You’ll Miss Allot ($4.60) to a 2:03.1 trotting victory.

Taggart’s final triumph on the card came in the 13th and final race with the Tom Meany-owned trotter My Cool Breeze ($13.20) in 2:05.4.

Taggart, who like many other horsemen, tries to shun interviews, claiming media coverage can and will change their luck. However he did speak by telephone from the paddock after his second winner.

“I’m having a good meet so far and I don’t want anything to jinx me,” he said reluctantly after giving in and making a response.

And it turned out that his verbage didn’t deter him from winning yet again — which he did when he scored with My Cool Breeze in the 13th race.

Jim Taggart. Jr.

As a youngster growing up in the Monticello area it would seem only natural that Taggart would gravitate to the Standardbred sport. After all, harness racing has not only been a staple here since 1958 but racing offered many an opportunity for a career.

“Since my dad had purchased horses I became very interested in becoming a driver. Racing was a big part of life here in the area and I wanted to be part of it,” Taggart said in an earlier interview.

Taggart was born in Monticello in 1970 and was a graduate of Monticello High School. He began his career as an amateur driver at Monticello Raceway in the late 1980s. From there, with his natural ability in the sulky, his career began to blossom. In 1994, on the strength of 122 driving victories, Taggart was among the leading drivers at the Mighty M.

Around the turn of the century Taggart began to apply his trade at Pocono Downs where he was a leading driver and was always on that track’s leaderboard year after year.

Now with the 2011 season getting ready to begin in northeast Pennsylvania, Taggart is making arrangements to return to Pocono Downs where he makes his home in the nearby area. However, this year, he hopes to go back and forth — race at Monticello Raceway during the daytime and at Pocono Downs at night.