The way Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr. is driving one could easily think it was the mid 1990’s. Zeke, at 57 years of age, is just as potent on the race track now as he ever was.
Yesterday, May 2, Parker reined five more winners on the card and now his 10,355 career driving victories which is still ninth best all-time in harness racing history.
Zeke began the afternoon with a 1:59:1 victory with his own pacer, Im All Sporty ($4,50) in the first race ans then came right back to cop the third with Theologis Moutafis’s pacer, Heather K ($29.00), in a 1:59:2 effort.
Win number three came behind Evan Katz’s Shania Twain ($4.00) in a time of 1:57:1 which was the 10-year-old Keystone Raider mare’s third consecutive triumph. Parker then won the ninth race with King of the Castle Stable’s trotter Giant T ($6.50) in 2:02 and then reined Diana Bartell’s Mare Supply ($9.60) to a 2:01:2 triumph in the 11th race.
When asked why he seems to be driving like the days of old Parker, who’s always short on words offered, “ I really don’t know but I feel good and I feel good in the bike. And having a few live mounts doesn’t hurt either.”
After total dominance earlier this year by his friend Bruce Aldrich, Jr., Parker not only has closed the gap but has vaulted into the lead in races won here this season. Though Aldrich win three races yesterday Zeke still is pulling away and now has 121 wins to Aldrich’s 108. And both reinsmen are cruising along with UDR’s over .300. Parker is currently at .349 and Aldrich chimes in with .307.
(Monticello)