Tony Hall notched career win 4,000 when he piloted Precise Accusation to victory in Thursday’s sixth race at the Meadows.
“It’s a nice number for me,” Hall said. “It feels good. I was hoping to get it a little quicker.”
Hall, 35, grew up in Carlisle, Ohio near Lebanon Raceway, where he began his career and won several driving titles. He moved from Lebanon to Northfield Park and relocated to the Meadows in 2006. While splitting his time between the Meadows and Ohio tracks in 2013, he ranked seventh in wins (155) and fifth in UDR (.260) at the Meadows.
Hall is working exclusively at the Meadows now, but he expects to continue shuttling between the Meadows and Ohio venues, although any Grand Circuit assignments could change that.
“I don’t have any now,” he said, “but I’ve been around long enough to know that can change at any moment.”
Hall and his wife, Ashley, are developing a stable they hope will be at full strength soon.
“We have four horses now, but we hope to have 10,” he said. “I’ve always had an interest in training, but it was hard to do when it was just me. Ashley has her trainer’s license, and she’ll pretty much run the barn when I’m on the road.”
Later on in the card, Princess Pablano followed cover beautifully and scored an 8-1 upset victory in Thursday’s $20,000 Fillies & Mares Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot despite a layoff of nearly a month.
Princess Pablano last raced Dec. 13 when she won a conditioned event at The Meadows, but she showed no signs of rust when Mike Wilder tipped her off cover in the stretch. She glided through the slop and triumphed in 1:58.1, three-quarter lengths better than Definitely Mamie. Sams Princess rallied for show.
Ron Burke trains Princess Pablano, a four-year-old daughter of Holy Guacamolie-CR Princess Bride, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Hall, Brett Miller and Dave Palone each drove three winners on the 15-race card.
(Meadows)