Beecher resident Todd Warren joined harness racing’s elite on Saturday, Sept. 25th, when he guided pacer Tink And Tiger to victory in Balmoral Park’s first race. That win gave the 45-year-old reinsman 3,000 career victories
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Born in Mattoon, Illinois on New Years Day in 1965, Warren was introduced to the sport at the age of nine by his father. Working summers around the barn areas Warren embarked on his driving career at the County Fair level in 1981.
His biggest year to date came in 2009 when he notched 300 victories for the year. Currently, Warren is on track to better that number with 272 victories already this year. Horses driven by Warren have earned more than $10.8 million in purse money throughout his career. Doubling as a trainer at times during his career, Warren trainees have won more than 800 races.
When asked about reaching the coveted plateau the sports loving Warren gave a “Yankee” response.
“Now I know what Alex Rodriguez must have felt like when he was getting close to his 600th home run,” laughed Warren. “Everybody kept asking me about it and while I was still driving some winners it didn’t feel like I was getting closer to finally reaching 3,000. Really I’m not a big numbers guy, I just like to out and win races for people like Perry Smith, Nelson Willis and Jim Eaton, who have been so good to me since I’ve made this my home base.”
A pair of stakes events were also contested on Saturday night with 19-two-year-old state bred fillies battling in a pair of $9,000 Thrifty Way Stake splits while 18 of their male counterparts slugged it out in a pair of $9,000 Yates Eagle divisions.
Taking home top honours in the Thrifty Way divisions were Obermeier and Quaid Stable’s Little Maeve, who cruised to a career-best of 1:53.4 for driver Del Chupp and Shes Automatic, who scored in come from behind fashion for driver-trainer Tom Harmer in 1:54.4.
In the Yates Eagle Bruce Pacitti, Owen Brennan and William De Cicco’s Little Pauli re-gained his early season form with a wire-to-wire victory in 1:53.2 for driver Brian Carpenter. The second division provided a thrilling four-horse photo finish as Redbud Stable and Clubhouse Stables Quality Sport pulled off the upset for driver Travis Seekman in 1:54.1.
(Balmoral Park)