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Widger, McCaffrey take Maywood titles

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January 03, 2009

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Maywood Park honored its 2008 leading driver Sam Widger and its top conditioner Dave McCaffrey in a winner�s circle ceremony on Friday night. It was the first title for Widger, while MCCaffrey took his third Maywood Park title, and fifth in the last seven years.

�It never gets to be old hat, winning a year-long title,� said McCaffrey. �I�m very happy I was able to accomplish it again. Getting to the top this year had a lot more to do about perseverance. And it�s also great to be honored alongside Sam (Widger) especially since this was his very first title.

Widger had 157 dash winners in 2008 at Maywood, 18 more than runner-up Brent Holland. Widger�s 461 season winners was a personal high for the 45-year-old Canton, Ill. native and placed him in the 11th slot in the final national driver�s race.

McCaffrey finished with 58 Maywood Park winners among his 97 for the year. When McCaffrey isn�t busy training horses he has his duties as the president of the Illinois Harness Horsemen�s Association. It�s his 12th year on that board and he served as their vice-president for the seven previous years.

When asked how he felt about winning his first driver�s title, Widger replied: �It�s a very big honor. I feel very privileged and very much blessed to have won it.�

The Chicago circuit will take a three-week hiatus after the Sunday, Jan. 4, card at Balmoral Park. Live harness racing will resume on Wednesday, January 28, at the south suburban facility. From that time and through April 29, Balmoral will race on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and will be dark on Tuesdays, while Maywood resumes its usual Thursday and Friday program format. (Maywood Park)

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