Jason Ryan celebrated his 2,000th career driving win on Saturday, June 7 during the season opener at Georgian Downs.
Ryan reached the milestone with his second winner on the night, parlaying a perfect pocket trip aboard three-year-old trotter That Dude ($8.10) into a 1:57 triumph in the $8,500 sixth race. Coming off a Prospect Series win at Kawartha Downs last month, the Trixton gelding doubled up while taking a new lifetime mark as he defeated favourite Baden Baden by half a length for trainer Doug Bowins, who co-owns with Russell Taylor.
Ryan's milestone moment followed an earlier winner's circle celebration with trainer Curtis and Amy Clements' homebred three-year-old trotting filly P C Chattahoochee ($6.10), who led wire-to-wire in 2:00.3 for a maiden-breaking victory in the $7,500 second race.
Ryan, who earned his first win in 2009 at Western Fair Raceway, had a career year in 2024 driving horses to 244 wins and more than $1.8 million in earnings at Ontario tracks. It was the third straight season (and fourth overall) in which he won 200 or more races.
The Saturday night driving double pushed his 2025 win count to 65.
The 36-year-old native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., now residing in Guelph, Ont., also has 389 career training wins.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Jason Ryan from a previous win at Grand River Raceway)