Driver Jeremy Smith reached the coveted 1,000 wins plateau on Thursday night at Miami Valley Raceway when he guided Eternalexpectation to a 1:58.2 score.

The milestone victory for the red and white clad 35-year-old reinsman came in a conditioned claiming event for non-winners of two races at odds of 14-1, familiar circumstances for Smith — who rarely sits behind betting favourites, but who quietly goes about his business and often gets the job done. It was Smith’s first time sitting behind Eternalexpectation, owned and trained by Mike Polhamus, but he got the most from the four-year-old Art Official mare despite strong winds and frigid 22 degree temperatures.

Smith won his first ever drive at his hometown Washington Court House, Ohio county fair in 2002. Following that score behind trotter Carry A Rose, however, he failed to reach the winner’s circle again that year in 21 more tries. After winning just three and six races in his second and third seasons, respectively, Smith’s career began to blossom in 2005 with 37 victories. He has steadily improved his statistics in the decade since culminating in his best year to date, 2014, when he triumphed 174 times. Horses he has driven to date have earned just shy of $3.5 million.

Smith was a star pitcher on his Miami Trace High School baseball team, but spent many weekend mornings at the barn of trainer Alvin Long during that period.

“My Grandpa had horses with Mr. Long at the local fairgrounds,” Smith relatd, “and I have to say Alvin was my mentor in the business. I probably could have gone on to college and played baseball, but I was more interested in learning the horse business from the ground up and getting my driver’s license.”

It didn’t take Smith long to get started on the road to 2,000 wins as he finished first two races later with another longshot, Trouble Hanover, who went off at 11-1 and paced an impressive 1:55.2 mile in a $6,500 claiming race.

“I was glad to get that 1,000th one out of the way,” said Smith, “because I was definitely feeling the pressure mounting as I got closer to it. Now I can breathe a sigh of relief and get on with what I hope will be a long career including a lot more wins.”

(Miami Valley)