It was the pacer’s 11th seasonal triumph in just 14 trips to the post this year.
Parker again raced Worthys Magic on the front end and they paced the final panel in :28.1 en route to a 1-1/2 length victory over Tim Whiskers and driver Jimmy Taggart, Jr. For Worthys Magic it was his fifth consecutive win.
“It was only the second time I drove him (Worthys Magic), but he has impressed me with his quick speed,” Zeke Parker said after his driving victory. “He can get out of there (away from the gate) in a hurry and can finish strong, too.”
Trained by Pete Pellegrino, Worthys Magic now ties another Mighty M pacer, Haroun Hanover, for the second most wins in North America. However, the leading equine winner this season on the continent is yet another Monticello Raceway pacer, Tracys Song, who has strung together 14 consecutive victories and will be out to equal the Mighty M track record of 15 wins in a row on Monday (May 13).
Worthys Magic, the property of the Pellegrino Racing Stable, paid $2.60 for win.
Trainer Gary Messenger had a great day on Thursday when he sent out five horses and had four wins and a fourth place finish; three of his winners were 3-year-olds.
Zeke Parker won the second race for Messenger with the Four Stazzz Shark sophomore pacing gelding American General ($19.00) in a time of 1:59.4. The pacer is owned by Anthony and Alma Iafelice.
Then the three other Messenger-trained winners were driven by Jimmy Taggart, Jr.
Taggart scored with the good-looking Bettor's Delight 3-year-old pacing gelding Bettorsluckystreak handily by three lengths in 1:57.2 ($7.40) for owners Ken Weckstein, Richard Rubin and trainer Messenger. Taggart then drove Trades In Motion ($3.60), an R C Royalty sophomore gelding, to a four length victory in a 2:04.2 clocking in the colt’s first seasonal outing. The trotter is owned by Dr. Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger. Win number three for the Messenger-Taggart connection, and Messenger’s fourth on the card, came when Taggart scored a 2:00.1 triumph with veteran trotter Elton Blue Chip. Dr. Scott Woogen also owns this trotter who paid $9.90 for win.
“I was very pleased today with a few of my 3-year-olds,” Messenger said. “In only his second start, Bettorsluckystreak won easily and so did our trotter, Trades In Motion. They may be able to get some money in the New York Sires Stakes this summer.”