When referring to a “triple-double,” one thinks of NBA stars scoring at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a single basketball game.
It’s a rare feat and worthy of headlines in sports sections all across the NBA world.
Amateur driver Scott Woogen has given a new meaning for a “triple-double” in harness racing.
For the third week in a row, the good doctor had a driving double at Shenandoah Downs in amateur action for the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC).
Woogen kicked off the festivities at Shenandoah with a gate-to-wire score with Moneyorroses, owned and trained by Eric Davis.
The five-year-old Cougar Hall gelding put up solid numbers throughout on a track labelled “good” to score in 1:57.1, the margin 4-3/4 lengths over Do Ya Think, driven by Justin Griffin, with the favoured Texas Terror N, with Kubi Erzine in the bike, a nose further back in the show spot.
Team Captain, driven by Stacey McLenaghan, was next with Classic Pro, teamed up with Adrian Wisher Jr., picking up the nickel.
Winless in 32 starts this season before Woogen picked up the drive last week, Moneyorroses now has won two straight to nudge his lifetime earnings over the $100,000 plateau — $108,183 — of which $19,190 is on the books for this season.
The winner paid $6.60 as second choice.
Woogen also won with the six-year-old mare Hey Siri, surviving a very tough journey early while chugging her way to the front through a :57.2 opening half on the outside from the get-go before stretching her lead during the following panel and never threatened thereafter while hitting the line in 1:59.4, 2-1/4 lengths up on Amazing Ponderosa, closing stoutly for Stacey McLenaghan.
Rollatown and Wyatt Long teamed up for third while Arts Image, overcoming the outside eight post, closed fastest of all to be fourth for Eugene Robinson. The early leader, Relentless Dancer, relented right at the half way juncture but did wind up fifth for John McNeil III.
A daughter of Rockin Image trained by Scott Warnick for Deborah Wainick, Hey Siri won for the third time this season in 27 starts to send her career bankroll to $60,668.
A popular winner on the toteboard at 4-5, Hay Siri paid $3.60 to win.
Wyatt Long picked up a hard earned win in USHDC action on Saturday by piloting Lenda Hand Man to a sharp score in 1:57.3 over the track labelled "good," getting by a stubborn Cole On The Beach, driven by Kubi Erzene, by three parts of a length.
JKs Pilot, with John McNeil III handling the lines, was next followed by Freak On A Leash, with Scott Woogen in his bike. Allieverdreamedof earned the final award for Eugene Robinson.
The win gave trainer Scott Warnick and owner Deborah Warnick a daily double of their own on Saturday with Lenda Hand Man rewarding his faithful with a $4.20 mutuel.
This four-year-old American Ideal gelding boosted his 2023 bankroll to $26,802, which brought his lifetime earnings within a “nose” of $80,000 at $79,352.
The USHDC finale was won by the five-year-old gelding Rightthererightnow, given a superb, heads-up drive by Stacey McLenaghan.
From post seven and leaving alongside a headstrong Anythingforlove A, while the latter was putting up some very quick early numbers — :27.4 and :56.4 — Righthererightnow had settled close up in third, though eight lengths away and behind Fox Valley Mondo. But the leader’s advantage started melting away like ice in hot waters, Fox Valley Mondo surged from the garden spot and into the lead.
In the lane, Fox Valley Mondo and Righthererightnow went warring right to the wire with the latter sticking his head up right on the line in 1:59.1.
Fox Valley Mondo was ably handled by Kubi Erzene while KJ Erich, with Woogen in the bike, third, just a length away. Ive Got Hootspa with John McNeil III was next with Johnny Q and Wyatt Long teaming up for the nickel.
Eric Davis trains the winner for Joseph Pisarski with $25.80 mutuel paid to the $2 win ticket holders.
The win was the second for Righthererightnow in 25 starts with his lifetime bounty at $89,015 — $21,275 this semester.
Scott Woogen now has 218 career wins, the 19-year-old Wyatt Long has 18 lifetime wins — 17 this year to go along with his first $100,000 season in purse earnings — and Stacey McLenaghan has 38 lifetime wins to go along with 378 training successes.
The USHDC, whose members donate all of their driving fees to charitable causes, have teamed up with Shenandoah Downs to continue their tradition of giving — the most recent gift to the American Cancer Society.
(USHDC)