Driver Josh Sutton scored career victory 2,000 on Saturday night at Balmoral Park, piloting Peck Blue Chip to a thrilling neck victory in race seven.
The Beecher, IL resident has been a regular on the Chicago circuit since 2005 after starting his journey in his native Kentucky.
“When I first started driving in Kentucky we weren’t going for very much money at all,” said Sutton, 31. “I was just worried about winning races and never really paid attention to the numbers that I was putting up.”
His biggest year to date came in 2009 when he piloted 332 winners while racking up a very respectable .281 UDR. Sutton followed that season up with 217 victories in 2010, 166 wins in 2011 and 157 trips to the winner’s circle in 2012. Sutton driven horses are nearing $ million in purse earnings.
With less than four lengths separating the top six finishers in Sutton’s milestone win, the veteran seemed more relieved than anything else while celebrating in the winner’s circle.
“If I said I wasn’t thinking about it I would be lying,” he laughed. “This last one was the hardest after you told me I needed five more wins earlier this week. I knew there were a ton of horses coming hard behind us and I was just hoping that the wire was going to come up in time.”
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