Stratton, Aldrich Take Monticello 2008 Titles

At age 21, Jordan Stratton is the “King of the Hill” at Monticello Raceway. The talented youngster won 362 races here and has become the youngest reinsmen to win the driving title in the 50+ years that the raceway has been in existence.

Stratton had 362 wins here this season and overall during the 2008 campaign he reined 630 winners, which placed him fifth on the list in races won by a driver in North America; an incredible feat for a youngster of his age.

Runner-up to Stratton in races won at Monticello was the veteran Bruce Aldrich, Jr. who reined 265 winners during 2008. Third on the list was the veteran Billy Parker, Jr. who recently reined his 9,500th career winner. His 206 driving victories here were third best this season..

Mike Forte, who enjoyed one of his best seasons ever, finished fourth with 177 winners and former Mighty M driving champ, Greg Merton, round-out the top five with 164 wins

Stratton’s purse earnings of $1,203,773 topped the list in money won by a driver this year. His total was some $328,000 more than runner-up Billy Parker, Jr.’s $875,190. And for the season the horses driven by Stratton earned $4,670,269.

For the second consecutive year April Aldrich copped the training title. The wife of Bruce Aldrich, Jr. harnessed 136 winners, some 14 more than Bob Beauregard’s total of 122.

Art Green, with 70 winners, was third best while Gary Messenger’s 63 wins and Todd Marciano’s, 57, rounded-out the top five in training victories.

April Aldrich’s purse earnings of $397,066 topped the list of money won by a trainer. Bob Beauregard was second best with purse earnings of $346,287 while Art Green’s stock earned $278,130 good enough to rank him third best.

Stephane Bouchard’s UDRS of .379 was good enough to earn him the title as leading percentage driver. Jason Bartlett, who drove here 243 times, was second best with a .375 percentage. Jordan Stratton’s .330 percentage (in 1,760 drives) was third best while Greg Merton’s .314 ranked him fourth on the percentage list. Newcomer Billy Dobson, who arrived here in late September, drove 341 times and earned a .313 UDRS, good for fifth place on the list.

Veteran trainer Carl Gillespie copped the percentage trainer title with a .371 UTRS. Bob Beauregard was second best with a .364 training percentage followed by Gerald Decker with .362 and Peter Lutman III with .359. April Aldrich’s .354 was fifth best.

(Monticello)