Jimmy Marohn Jr. captured his 1,000th career driving victory on Wednesday afternoon at Tioga Downs
behind three-year-old pacer Spill The McBeans. It was part of a driving triple on the day for the 27-year-old New York native who has already steered 113 winners thus far in 2009.
“It has been a great ride so far, I couldn’t ask to do anything else, it's been a blast so [far]. It couldn’t have come at a better place either, the management here is top notch,” said Jimmy Marohn Jr. following the races on Wednesday afternoon.
Jimmy Marohn Jr. currently is at the top of the driving standings at Tioga Downs, as through 16 race programs he has steered home 28 winners.
Marohn also steered Yankee Nola to victory in the $13,000 Open Handicap Trot in a lifetime best of 1:54.4. The mile was just a tick off the track record for aged trotting mares set by Khifra Hamover in 2007. Marohn sent the seven-year-old Sjs Photo mare to the front through fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:26 before sprinting away from the field with a :28.4 last quarter.
Keystone Empire and Richard Simard rallied to finish second while Kyle Di Benedetto and Levitys Pride despite a two hole trip could only manage a third place finish.
It was the second time in five days that the lone mare wired the boys in the featured trot at Tioga Downs. It was the sixth win in fifteen starts for Yankee Nola who is owned and trained by Tyler Raymer of New Ringold, Pennsylvania. The trotting mare increased her seasonal earnings to more than $71,000 with the victory. Yankee Nola is a perfect three-for-three this year at Tioga Downs, all with Marohn in the sulky.
(With files from Tioga Downs)