Scarborough, Maine –
Shane Taggart corralled the 1000th
driving win of his twelve-year
career on Thursday (May 22) guiding
Patricia Bileau’s Lucky Flower
through the storied Scarborough
Downs stretch during the very first
race on the afternoon card.
Taggart sat the perfect pocket
journey throughout the mile before
popping off the pylons in the final
turn to challenge the pace-setting
Gamble. The duo then held off
a determined late mile challenge
from the heavy betting favorite
Western Hope to seal the victory
and secure the driving milestone.
“It was good to get this out of the
way early on,” said a jubilant
Taggart. “Sometimes these things can
drag on for days or even months and
I really didn’t want to go through
something like that. The mare (Lucky
Flower) raced extremely game
today and we were able to get
through for the win.”
Taggart, a native of Monticello, New
York, cut his teeth driving at the
Catskill oval before venturing north
to Scarborough six years ago. “I
came to Maine one summer with Mike
Cushing and kind of liked it up
here” Taggart explained. “I met my
future wife Amy that summer and
while we both went back to
Monticello the following winter we
really decided that we’d rather call
Scarborough Downs home.”
Taggart has now won over 500 races
since joining the Pine Tree State
circuit and has become a regular
fixture on the Scarborough Downs
backstretch as he and his wife Amy
condition a string of ten in the
southern Maine oval’s stable area.
“It’s been a long journey since I
gained my first win with Bubba
Leroy back at Monti but I
wouldn’t change a thing” concluded
Taggart “I’ve got a beautiful wife,
a great family and a nice lifestyle
here in Maine – Life is good.”
Today life rewarded Shane Taggart
with his 1000th trip down
victory lane.
Life indeed is good.
Scarborough Downs proudly features
live harness racing every Thursday,
Friday and Saturday evening at 4:15
pm (EDT). The popular Sunday
matinees feature a 1:30 pm post
time.
Photo Caption – Shane Taggart
celebrates with family and
friends in the Scarborough Downs
winner’s circle on the occasion
of his 1000th career
driving win. (Photo by Derek
Davis).
