Morrill Nabs 5,000th Win

Published: September 21, 2011 12:14 am EDT

In a sport that’s more often than not measured in miles, milestones come with the territory

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Such was the case Tuesday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $253,593 New York Sire Stakes Larchmont Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings.

Three, $47,531 divisions were consecutively contested, three pole positions won the races and one Jim Morrill, Jr. quickly became the storyline.

Morrill, who entered the evening with 4,998 career wins (after a pair of sire stakes wins here Monday night), easily found No. 4,999 with JK Camelot ($9.30) in the first statebred event.

Taking no prisoners from the pylons, JK Camelot led through intervals of :28, :56.4, 1:25 and 1:53.2. The third wagering choice dusted his rivals by three lengths, with 52-1 shot Bombay Away (Sam Caruso Jr.) grabbing second over Bolero Andrew (Jim Pantaleano). Townslight Hanover (Andrew McCarthy), the 11-10 favourite, was a weak, first-over sixth.

For JK Camelot, an Art Major gelding, trained by Mark Kesmodel for co-owners Jeffrey Bamond and Scott Alberg, it was his fifth win in 17 seasonal starts.

Morrill again grabbed the gauntlet early in the second sire stakes grouping. He left hard with 3-10 fave Mojo Terror, stuffing Sir Ziggys Z Tam (Pat Lachance) in behind. From there, weigh stations of :27.3,. :56 and 1:24.3 gave him a length-and-half lead turning for home. Mojo Terror needed only to hold off Sir Ziggys Z Tam, which he did by a comfortable length in 1:53. American Romance (Pantaleano) was a best-of-the-rest third.

For Mojo Terror, a homebred (Perfect World Enterprises) Western Terror gelding owned by Bulletproof Enterprises and trained by Chirrs Oakes, he returned $2.70 for his 11th win in 18 seasonal work nights.

"I'm very fortunate to get to this point (5,000 wins)," Morrill - who won his first race in 1984 - said. "I don't know what I can add, only to say it's all about the horses. They're the ones who make you look good.

"I've driven a lot of outstanding horses for a lot of good owners and trainers, and I really do appreciate it."

He was presented with a congratulatory sign by the Raceway for his latest accomplishment.

Morrill, a 46-year-old native of Methuen, MA, is closing in on $70 million in career earnings. His 1:50.4 effort behind Silver Almahurst in the 1993 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series remains the Raceway's all-age, flat-mile record.

Tuesday night's final NYSS event saw pocket-sitter fave Wind Me Up (Cat Manzi, $3.30) ducked inside to pick off Flipper J (Jason Bartlett) by a couple of lengths in 1:53. Major Belle (Stephane Bouchard) was third.

For Wind Me Up, a son of Bettors Delight co-owned by (trainer) George Teague, Jr., Ted Gewertz, Robert Feldman and Fannin Racing, he's now 3-for-10 this season.

Next on the local driver milestone watch is Steve Smith, who remains at 2,999 career wins after going 0-for-3 Tuesday night.

New York Sire Stakes continue here Friday night, with the $250,011 Ardsley Pace for two-year-old fillies.

(Yonkers Raceway)

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