Standardbred driver Jonathan Roberts, shown here warming up a horse at Rosecroft Raceway last winter, recently attained the 4,000th win of his career last week at Ocean Downs in Berlin.
Standardbred driver Jonathan Roberts, shown here warming up a horse at Rosecroft Raceway last winter, recently attained the 4,000th win of his career last week at Ocean Downs in Berlin.
Charles County resident and St. Mary's Ryken High School graduate Jonathan Roberts attained the 4,000th driving victory of his career on Wednesday evening at Ocean Downs when he steered IC Brandonscowgirl to a 1:58.2 triumph in the second race on the card.
Roberts, a 1999 St. Mary's Ryken graduate, headed into the Wednesday card at Ocean Downs, a half-mile harness racing oval in Berlin that's five miles west of Ocean City, one win shy of the 4,000 plateau. It did not take the Accokeek native long to reach the milestone — his first drive of the night was in the second race with IC Brandonscowgirl.
"Getting 4,000 wins is a big milestone," said Roberts, son of longtime trainer-driver William "Bib" Roberts. "Starting out, I never really thought about milestones. But it definitely feels good to validate a lot of hard work over the years."
Sent out as the 3-2 favorite from post two in the conditioned event for pacing fillies and mares, IC Brandonscowgirl got away third and stayed there until Roberts sent the mare on a brush bid to command past the half-mile mark and through the clubhouse turn. She maintained a modest lead down the backside and through the far turn and held sway late for a length score in 1:58.2 for trainer Joseph Eisenhower.
Roberts had gotten to within one victory of the milestone on Monday evening at Ocean Downs when he guided Uncle Coz to a 1:56.4 victory in a claiming race and later steered Maurice to a 1:55.4 score in a conditioned event for pacers. Roberts has now won races in five different states: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and in Canada as well.
Roberts would later win three more races on the Wednesday card at Ocean Downs, two for his sister, trainer Megan Roberts. He guided Sansa to an 8-1 upset in 1:59.2 then steered Winter Games to a sharp 1:55.3 score before prevailing with Hickory Pandle to a 1:58 tally for trainer Richard Malone. He was also second with 85-1 long shot Maydaymaverickhope in another race.
Roberts said he intends to donate his driving gloves and whip from the Wednesday card at Ocean Downs to the St. Mary's Ryken High School athletic department as a token of his appreciation to the co-ed private school. Roberts is typically among the leading drivers at Rosecroft Raceway and that track's fall meet is slated for Sept. 23 to Dec. 23, with live racing conducted each Wednesday and Sunday evening beginning at 7:15 p.m.
