Ron Beback Jr., Batavia Downs' leading driver during the 2008 Summer-Fall meet won the 1,000th race of his career on Friday night, November 21.
The Western New York native reached the milestone in the seventh race driving Hi Cee Tee R ($3.00) to a nose victory in 2:01.1, in the second division of the Claim the Cash pacing series, for owner Myra Dunn.
Beback began his driving career in 1984 but didn’t win his first race until 1986.
Like many catch drivers in business his career began a bit slow, by 1996 Beback had only won 110 races. In 1998 his career was on the upswing but in 1999 he suffered a heart attack and lost most of his business.
“I had a good stable at the time,” Beback said. “The business got rough for a while.”
By 2001 Beback was back on his feet, winning 55 races. The next year he won 66, then 82. Last year was his first triple digit season, winning 110 races. This year he’s already won 140 races.
Beback gives much of the credit to his owners.
“I have much better stock then I did in the past,” Beback said. “I have owners now that can replace tired horses.”
He began the snowy evening at America’s oldest lighted Harness Track with 996 lifetime victories. He inched closer to the milestone when he brought in both ends of the daily double scoring with Muddy Creek ($10.20) and The Midas Man ($15.00).
Beback returned back to the winners' circle for the third time, in race four, when he went wire to wire with Miss Groovie To, in 2:01.1, in the first division, second leg, of the Claim the Cash pacing series.
Before the night was over Beback would make his fifth trip to the Winners Circle taking the $9,000 Open trot in gate to wire fashion with win machine S Js Morgan in 1:59.4.
The weekly featured trot was named in honor of Brian Schroeder, a longtime Western New York horseman who passed away last year.
S Js Morgan, the favorite for Horse of the Year, won for the 10th time this meet for owners William Switala and James Martin. Beback is the conditioner of the six-year-old son of S Js Photo.
Of Beback’s five driving wins, four would be with horses he trains. Trainer Robert Gruber III would also condition four winners.
Harness racing resumes on Saturday night with a 7:05 p.m. Racing fans are reminded that the final Wednesday program of the meet will be November 26. There are only six more programs left in the 2008 meet.
(Batavia Downs)