Bruce Aldrich, Jr. has had many good days in the sulky this year at Monticello Raceway and his 168 wins(prior to today) continues to lead the driving colony
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But the afternoon of June 3 could possibly be his best thus far. Not only did he rein six winners on the card, his 1:57:4 triumph with Konchie in the featured $8,400 winners/over trot was also a new track record for older trotting geldings.
Konchie is also having a big year. The altered son of King Conch had already booked seven victories and his performance against a solid field including the likes of Donnegal and One Awesome Master , was nothing short of spectacular.
Aldrich set sail with Konchie as the wings of the gate folded and they trotted to the front. Once there they made every pole a winning one en route to an easy four length triumph over Donnegal and Kyle DiBenedetto.
“He’s (Konchie) been good all year but he was real good today,” said Aldrich. “It was his eighth victory this year but he’s been a bad luck horse for us. Last season a pair of quarter cracks kept him on the shelf for most of the year. He only won one race and earned just $2700 but we stuck with him. His feet have been good this year and so far he’s earned over $39,000 for us.”
Owned by Aldrich’s wife April, and Nick Logothetis, Konchie’s victory erased the old mark of 1:58 co-held by Nahcotta Jude (Jim Marohn) in 2006 and by Bubba Dunn (Mark Beckwith) in 2007.
Aldrich, who was “Driver of the Decade” at Monticello Raceway winning the most races since 2000, couldn’t seem to do anything wrong today. Of his six wins four came from his barn.
He started the afternoon with a 2:02:1 trotting victory with Mystical Prayer ($21.80) in the second race and then won the third with Our Ian ($3.20) in 1:58:4. He then proceeded to win the fourth with Coastal Highway ($4.60) in 1:57:4.
Aldrich’s fourth winner was the track record performance with Konchie ($9.10) in the eighth. After that he won the ninth with Winsmith Molly ($2.70) in 2:00 and tenth with trotter Mystical Heiress ($16.00) in 2:00:1.
“I’ve had some good days over the years but this has got to be the best one yet, especially when one of the wins was a track record, “Aldrich said.
(Monticello Raceway)