A 30-minute delay due to heavy rain showers earlier in the day could not dampen a sizzling start for driver Andrew McCarthy on the Monday night Red Mile card.
McCarthy won the first three races of the night, and did not stop there, finishing with five wins on the 12-race card. The 'McCarthy early Pick 3' returned $223.60. He also had three thirds to go along with the five wins in his ten drives on the card, all of this for a guy that drove one betting favourite.
As the meet continues and more and more people begin to see the 22-year-old McCarthy in action, he continues to pick up more catch drives and climb up the driving leaderboard, where he currently sits in third.
McCarthy, who came from Australia earlier this year, says that all of his success began when one man, Noel Daley, "believed" in him and put him down to drive one of the barn's stars, Took Hanover.
After McCarthy won in 49 and change at the Meadowlands with 'Took,' his career began to "take off." He said that he has never been the leading driver anywhere before, having finished second to his 26-year-old brother, Luke McCarthy, while still in Australia.
McCarthy, who has been having plenty of success since arriving in Lexington, said that he is "very appreciative of the opportunity that many have been willing to give him in driving their horses." He said that he will remain in Lexington throughout the Grand Circuit, and hope to further pursue his driving career on the east coast afterwards.
Speaking of having success since arriving in Lexington, McCarthy's third race mount, Pair A Dice, made it two in a row with his lifetime best 1:53.2 score for trainer Steve Elliott.
McCarthy moved the Cams Card Shark colt as the horses straightened out up the backstretch; maintained the lead around the final turn, and powered away down the lane with a :27.1 final quarter to score by two and three-quarter lengths. It was Pair A Dice's fourth win in six career starts.
Racing will resume at the Red Mile on Thursday evening with a 6:30 p.m. first race post time for the 15-race card.
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(Red Mile)