Published: October 23, 2011 8:51 pm ET

No Comments | Jump to Comments

Driver Billy Dobson celebrated a special career milestone on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway after guiding home his second winner on the card.

Leading driver Billy Dobson entered the program needing just two wins to reach the 2,000-win plateau and came one step closer with a victory in the Open Pace. Keystone Rideau found some of his backclass on Saturday night, winning the $16,000 feature in wire-to-wire fashion. The Mark Ford-trained eight-year-old pacer has climbed all the way from the bottom condition to the Open Pace within a couple of months and added a win in that class to his 2011 resume Saturday. Dobson pointed the veteran pacer, who now has career earnings of over $575,000, out to the early lead from his inside post and never looked back, stopping the timer in 1:54.1.

Dobson came right back to win the next race as well with a Ford trainee. The 27- year-old reinsman recorded victory number 2,000 for his career, piloting pacer Mcdana N to a lifetime best 1:54.2 score. Dobson’s milestone comes in a season in which he is poised to repeat as the track’s leading driver and on a night when he drove four winners.

(With files from Saratoga Raceway)