Pocono: Eric Carlson reaches 3,000 wins
Eric Carlson wasted no time in recording his 3000th career victory Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, taking the first race of the night with Call Me Richard for the milestone victory.
Call Me Richard pressed forward to control the pace over Monday’s sloppy racetrack at Pocono, and he opened up a large lead towards the three-quarters. In the stretch, Holy Halibut, second choice to the winning favorite, made up some late ground, but Carlson kept after his charge and crossed the wire with a safe 1-1/4 length margin at the end of the 1:57 3/5 mile.
The 42-year-old Carlson was half that age when he won his first race, a FFA pace worth $930, at the Fowlerville MI fair with Calamity Clyde. Eric grabbed industry attention in 2010 when he won 603 races, sixth-highest in North America, while dominating the Detroit circuit. He soon afterwards decided to take his driving skills eastward, with his earnings benefiting from the transplantation. His best money year was 2014, when his horses brought in $5.3 million of his career $27.3 million tally.
-edited release (PHHA / Pocono)