Grand River Raceway saluted the 1000-win milestone achieved by driver Michael Whelan during its September 12th card.

Whelan, 34, reached the mark on Sunday, September 9 at Flamboro Downs while driving Autodynamic in race four. The 5-1 shot is trained by William Walters.

Hovering near the milestone for the past week, Whelan was just one win shy on Saturday, September 8 when, agonizingly, he drove a total of five second-place finishers.

During an on-air interview at Grand River Raceway on September 14, the Dundas, Ont. resident fondly recalled his first drives at the 1997 Ancaster Fair, and his first win at Flamboro Downs with his father’s horse, On Top By Two, in May of 1998.

Whelan has driven horses to earnings of nearly $7.5 million.

(Grand River Raceway / Iron Horse Photo)