Robinson Stays Red Hot At Ocean Downs

BERLIN- Local harness race driver Raymond 'Shorty' Robinson, Jr. continued his assault on the record books at historic Ocean Downs last week with his sixth straight night of multiple wins and now has 14 wins on the young season after only six nights of the 2007 live meet.

Robinson started the 57^th live meet at Ocean Downs red hot with multiple wins in his first three nights. In week two, he continued his remarkable streak with three more multiple win nights including his third driving-triple of the season last Saturday followed by another driving-double on Sunday night. Just six days into the 42-day live meet at Ocean Downs this summer, Robinson has now collected 14 wins and is averaging more than two wins per night.

Robinson, who lives and trains horses in Bishopville with his family, is certainly no stranger to piling up wins at Ocean Downs. He was the Ocean Oval's driving champion for three straight years from 1999 to 2001 and finished second for four straight years from 2002 through 2005. Last year, he finished third behind Harness Track of America's Driver of the Year Anthony Morgan and W. David Hill III.

Robinson's most productive year at the Ocean Oval was 2001 when he logged 47 wins. After only six nights of racing this year, he already has 14 wins. 'Shorty' has two driving-triples and four doubles. He shares the credit for this year's success.

'Shorty' was born in 1969 in Salisbury and still resides only minutes from the track. He started driving in 1987 when he was 18. 'My father got me started real early, 14 or 15, then my uncle Ron Davis took care of me from that point. He helped me out tremendously,' said Robinson who is also the branch manager for the Calvin B. Taylor Bank in West Ocean City.

In other news this week, the 2006 'Horse of the Meet' at Ocean Downs, Whitesville Tara, won its third race in 13 starts so far this year on Sunday night, going wire to wire with Hill in the bike. Whitesville Tara won six races at Ocean Downs last year to win Horse of the Meet honors and now his three wins just six days into the 2007 live meet.

After a fast two weeks to start the 2007 meet, live racing resumed at Ocean Downs on Wednesday. The live meet will be held on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer until August 25. As always, admission and parking are free. Ocean Downs also offers simulcasting daily from some of the top tracks in the country.