Harrah's Hoosier Park: Rick Plano reaches 4,000 training wins

Driver/trainer Rick Plano reached another milestone in his illustrious career as he recorded his 4,000th career training victory at Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday, June 23. Needing just one victory to secure win 4,000 heading into the evening's 12-race card, Plano piloted Empressive Hill to victory in the ninth race on the card.

Plano wasted no time and sent the 3-year-old filly straight to the front from post five. Empressive Hill set fractions of 28 1/5, 57, and 1:26 2/5 before utilizing a 28 2/5 closing quarter to secure the victory by nearly four lengths. The 1:54 4/5 final time equaled her seasonal best set last week in a qualifier at Harrah's Hoosier Park. It was the first win of the season in her first start at 3. Trained and driven by Plano, the daughter of Muscle Hill-Slice Slice Baby is owned in partnership by J. Derue, B.Soulsby, A. Weisenburg, and G. Short.

Harrah's Hoosier Park's Race Marketing team, along with Plano's wife and friends, were in the winner's circle to congratulate and acknowledge his momentous accomplishment.

With the win, Plano joins elite company in the sport of harness racing as one of the few trainer-drivers in the sport with a combined total of more than 10,000 wins. With 7,136 wins recorded as a driver, the 69-year-old veteran reinsman has amassed more than $52 million in purse earnings throughout his career and reached the million dollar mark in five of the last 10 seasons as a driver. Plano, a native of Frankfort, NY, began his harness racing career in 1973 and has since secured leading training and driving titles at tracks throughout the country. Currently, Plano is among the top 20 in both the leading trainer and leading driver standings at Harrah's Hoosier Park for the 2021 season.

Live racing at Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Thursday, June 24. For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

-edited release (Hoosier)