by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications
Campbellville, ON — One of harness racing’s most popular drivers, Rick Zeron, scored his 8,000th career driving victory Thursday night (Aug. 18) at Mohawk Racetrack.
Zeron, 59, entered the evening just a single win shy of the milestone. Driving 3-year-old pacing filly Dixie Lullaby in the evening’s seventh race, Zeron was able to get the filly up in the final strides for the milestone victory.
Rick Zeron is joined by family in the winner’s circle following his 8,000th career driving victory.
Nicknamed “The Whip,” Zeron has been a regular driver and trainer on the WEG Circuit for more than two decades. The Oakville, Ontario resident has consistently posted impressive numbers throughout his career, including driving the winners of more than C$3 million in 14 of the last 16 seasons.
Zeron, who won his first race at Rideau Carleton Raceway in 1975, was the top driver in Quebec for many years before relocating to Ontario in 1995. His career best season for wins came in 1989, when he won 437 races and captured another Quebec driving title.
Zeron’s best season for earnings was recorded in 2006, when he drove the winners of more than C$7.7 million. Last season, he put together another solid campaign with 126 wins and earnings of nearly C$3 million.
The past few weeks have been memorable for the Zerons, as Rick’s son, Scott, won the Hambletonian with Marion Marauder on Aug. 6. The father-son duo also teamed up to capture the U.S. Pacing Championship with Rick’s stable star Shamballa on the same day.
A model of consistency, Rick Zeron is on pace for another solid season with 71 victories and earnings of more than C$1.4 million. He currently ranks ninth in the WEG drivers standings and sixth in the trainers standings.
The Woodbine Entertainment Group would like to congratulate Rick on his 8,000th driving victory.
Seven And Seven strong in Define The World
The Define The World Series final turned into a final quarter sprint Thursday at Mohawk Racetrack and rookie trotter Seven And Seven put on quite a display to score the victory.
Just a field of four competed in the $28,080 Define The World Series final, but that didn’t stop a pair of the rookie trotters from turning heads.
New Image Media photos
Seven And Seven was a 1:58.3 winner in the Define The World Series final.
Tom Durand trainee Seven And Seven captured the first leg, but was outsprinted home in the second leg and finished second to Luc Blais trainee Jake. The preliminary leg winners met up again on Thursday and once again they dueled in a final quarter sprint.
Blais trainee Awol Hanover took the early lead and posted an opening quarter of :30. Stablemate Jake and driver Sylvain Filion circled around from second to grab command and took the field by the half in 1:01.
Around the final turn, trainer/driver Durand opted to angle out from third with Seven And Seven and rushed towards the leader, ultimately drawing to within a neck of Jake at the three-quarter pole in 1:32.
The easy fractions set up a sprint for home and both trotters unleashed a :26.3 final quarter. Seven And Seven used his momentum from the final turn to take a slight lead at the top of the lane and was able to keep Jake a half-length back for a 1:58.3 victory. Cant U Spell finished third, while Awol Hanover made a stretch break and was fourth.
Seven And Seven was sent off as the 2-5 favorite and Durand noted after the race that even with only four horses, he knew the race went through his trotter.
“It was me that was going to make the race one way or another,” said Durand. “A normal horse I would probably have pushed the pace a little early, but this horse has got so much sprinting speed that I thought I could get him from anywhere.”
Seven And Seven is from the first crop of sire Chapter Seven. Bred by June Durand and passing through the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale ring for $17,000, Seven And Seven now has two wins in four starts for earnings of $24,391. Allan Smith shares ownership of the rookie trotting colt with Tom and June Durand.
Staked up to several upcoming Grand Circuit events at Mohawk, Durand was hopeful he would be on this path with Seven And Seven.
“I thought he might make a nice New York sired colt or the course that we are on and maybe getting into the Grand Circuit,” he said. “He’s a colt that always did everything right, he never made breaks and he was always game to challenge other horses.”
The Durand stable has been well represented on the WEG and Grand Circuit by veteran trotter Whiskey Tax over the last several years. The 8-year-old is approaching millionaire status, but is also lending a helping hand to his trainer.
“Strangely enough we did the last end of (Seven And Seven’s) training with Whiskey Tax,” said Durand. “Whiskey is such a good ole boy, he kind of taught him the ropes of how to stay relaxed and then go when you’re asked to go and stuff like that.
“Normally people train their colts with other colts, but I trained him with an 8-year-old and it worked out good.”
Durand confirmed after the race that Seven And Seven has the Champlain Stakes up next on his schedule.
Live racing continues Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack. Post time is 7:30 p.m.