David Miller celebrates 42nd

When David Miller celebrates his 42nd birthday on Sunday, it will include doing what he enjoys the most -- driving horses. There will be time for a dinner celebration afterwards, but work is what drives Miller, and driving horses is what Miller has done since he was 17. The Ohioan arrived in New Jersey in 1999 and has been consistently one of the top reinsmen at the Meadowlands.

It was at the Meadowlands, on Dec. 2, that he enjoyed one of the best nights of his career. He drove in all of the Fall Final Four stakes for 2 year olds, winning three and finishing second in the other, for a combined purses-earned total of $763,350.

"I would say that this ranks right behind the day I won the Jug (Little Brown Jug with No Pan Intended) and won 10 races at Delaware Ohio (in 2003),” Miller said. “Yes, this would be next best, very satisfying.

“It was the kind of night where things just broke my way--right time, right place kind of thing,” Miller modestly added. “With Blair Burgess's horse for example (Ogham in the $432,700 Valley Victory), I don't think even Blair thought he was going to win, just that he was improved. When you get a trainer of his caliber, or any trainer who's had top horses, you can be pretty sure they are not going to be racing in these kinds of races if they don't think they have a good shot."

In addition to winning the Valley Victory for trotting colts and geldings with Ogham, Miller’s Fall Final Four night also included tallies with Isabella Blue Chip in the $439,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies, and with Sutter Hanover in the $450,000 Governor’s Cup for pacing colts and geldings. In his only loss, he was second with Gerri’s Joy in the $410,000 Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies.

Miller had already teamed with Isabella Blue Chip to win the $435,000 Sweetheart on Aug. 4 at the Meadowlands. Among his numerous stakes victories in 2006 were the $650,000 W.R. Haughton Memorial with Leading X Ample and the $500,000 Breeders Crown with Susie’s Magic.

Through Dec. 7, Miller’s mounts have reached the winner’s circle 337 times and have banked $9,827,540. He could very well record his fifth $10 million season in 2006, having reached or surpassed that plateau in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005.

On Sunday, with the Meadowlands dark, Miller will travel from his home in Cream Ridge, N.J. to suburban Philadelphia.

"I'm driving at Chester,” he said. “I have a couple in the series finals. Then I'm going out to dinner with (wife) Misty and (daughter) Leah." (Meadowlands)

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