Dick Stillings notched the 5,000th win of his distinguished career Friday when he guided Mycenae Bluegrass to victory in the 13th race at The Meadows. It was yet another milestone for Stillings, who last October surpassed $30 million in career purses
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In the wake of Friday’s achievement, Stillings was characteristically humble and humorous.
“When I reached 4,000 after missing so many drives by wintering in Florida all those years, I thought that was something,” he said. “I just kept driving, got some wins here and there, and the next thing you know, I finally got it. I have to thank my trainers, owners and all the people I’m associated with. My job probably is the easiest of all.”
Stillings, 64, began working with horses while attending high school in his native Mount Vernon, Ohio. He became a full-time driver at The Meadows in the early 1970s and enjoyed national acclaim as part of “Team Spur” along with his brother, trainer Charles “Buddy” Stillings, and owner Roy Davis.
The team’s Barberry Spur was the freshman colt pacer of the year in 1985 and won the Adios at three with Stillings at the helm. In 1987, Stillings drove Jaguar Spur to victory in the Little Brown Jug.
In addition to regular catch driving, Stillings trains a handful of horses, though he expects to maintain his full driving load for now. He also spends considerable time trying, unsuccessfully, to better his buddy Dave Palone on the golf course.
“I may look into training more in the next few years, but I love coming to the track,” he said. “I know my day is coming — you can see it. Trainers like younger drivers. For me to be doing this at my age, I’m very fortunate.
“One of the things I enjoy about racing at The Meadows — we have a bunch of good drivers, and they give me a lot of respect. Except Palone. I’m tired of watching red, black and white colors go around me, and maybe once in awhile he throws you a bone. I can’t even beat him at golf. I played with him his first day back from that horrible leg injury, and I still couldn’t beat him.”
Any celebration of his historic win will be quiet and early.
“Tomorrow, I have eight to qualify and others to train, so we won’t go out tonight,” he said. “I used to go to sleep at 1 a.m., wake up at 5 a.m., maybe nap for an hour. Now, I go to bed at 8 p.m. to get up at 5 a.m. I can make that first commercial after 8 o’clock, but that’s it.”
(Meadows)