Brent Holland drives 4,000th winner

Brent Holland, Call Me Yours and Winnin' Image engaged in March Marquee Madness as stars of Yonkers Raceway's Friday night fare.

 

Holland won the 4,000th race of hia career, guiding Bet to Win in the evening's $27,000, 10th-race Preferred Trot. The 6-year-old Credit Winner gelding, who owns the fastest local trot mile of the season (1:55.3), negotiated the mile in 1:57 as the 11-10 ($4.20) favorite.

 

As for Holland, he comes off the two best seasons of his career, setting personal highs in both victories (447 in 2008) in earnings ($3.6 million in purses in '09).  It was in the latter portion of 2008 that Holland--along with trainer Paul Blumenfeld--made the move from Chicago to the metropolitan area. Holland currently ranks fifth in the 2010 Yonkers standings.

 

"I'm happy I made the move east," he said. "It's a bit more intense here, but I'm finding my way…like a green 3-year-old."

 

Holland, 38, and a native of Wilmington, Ohio, began working with horses for a neighbor, Maynard Hagemeyer.

 

"He and Bob Farrington in Chicago both taught me a lot," Holland said.

 

His first winner came in in his first parimutuel start, as an 18-year-old with longshot E C's Best in 1989 at Lebanon Raceway..."pouring down rain," he said. "When I won my first, I used to look up to all the great driver and never thought about a number like 4,000," Holland said. "You just go out and try to do your best."

 

Holland, who has more than $32.6 million in purses, was joined by his wife, Dee, for a winner's circle presentation.

 

 In the weekly $32,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace, Call Me Yours (Stephane Bouchard)--assigned post position No. 2--called the three-hole home as 8-5 favorite Lightning Treasure (Cat Manzi) led  through intervals of  :28, ::57.2, 1:25.2, 1:53.3.

 

Call Me Yours then moved out just before the three-quarters, engaging and engulfing the leader in mid-stretch. She edged away by three-quarters of a  length in a season's-best 1:53.3. Lightning Treasure was the bridesmaid, while Soiree (Brent Holland), Red High Heels (Jeff Gregory) and Little Mermaid N (Jim  Pantaleano) completed the payees.

 

For Call Me Yours, a 5-year-old daughter of Your Nemesis trained by Mark Ford for owner Stephen Gillard, she returned $9 (second choice) for her  third win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $41.40, the triple returned $574 and the superfecta paid $1,337. (Yonkers)