by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Eight days ago at Monticello Raceway, Zeke Parker notched his 11,000th career driving victory. Another Mighty M teamster, Jimmy Taggart, Jr., is also en route to a personal milestone of 3,000 career wins.

The day before Parker notched his 11,000th, Taggart was 14 wins from 3,000. He rushed to the threshold with multiple victories over the four-day racing week and on Tuesday (July 23) he found himself just one win shy of 3,000.

On Tuesday, Taggart had a decent afternoon with three seconds and three thirds, but that one victory eluded him.

Were you pressing Jimmy?

“I don’t think I was but it (the 3,000th win) certainly was on my mind,” Taggart said in response to the query. “It’ll come, maybe even today (Wednesday). I’ve got nine drives and a few morning line favorites.”

Although Taggart didn’t win a race on Tuesday, former Mighty M leading driver Jimmy Devaux had three winners and now has 113 here (fifth best) to go along with the 81 he has at Saratoga Raceway, which ranks him third on their leaderboard in races won.

One of Devaux’s three winners was with the $12,500 claiming pacer Stoman when he guided the 7-year-old Market Report gelding to another gate-to-wire triumph, this time in 1:56.

It was the pacer’s fifth consecutive victory and eighth of the season. It also marked the third consecutive race in which Stoman was claimed. Barry Charles plunked down $12,500 and took him from Dominic Rafanelli. A week previous, Rafanelli claimed Stoman (for the same amount) from Barry Franklin, who initially claimed the pacer from him for $12,500 on July 9.

Despite all those barn changes, Devaux was summoned to do the driving and he made each effort a winning one.

“I’ve only catch-driven him in his last four starts. He’s a nice horse to drive and he loves to be on the front end and with his quick gate speed he can get there in a hurry,” Devaux said, referring to Stoman, who has won his last five races in wire-to-wire fashion.

Devaux also won with the Barry Charles-owned Art Genta ($15.00) in 1:57.4 and Tom Riddle ($3.40) in 1:55.

Tom Riddle raced for the first time for his new owner, Andrew Adamcyzk. Just last week Adamcyzky claimed him from Ed and James Hall for $7,500, the same amount the claiming pacer was in for on Tuesday afternoon.

It was Tom Riddle’s fourth consecutive victory and eighth of the year and the first time Devaux had driven him.