HAMBURG, N.Y. --- "I never thought I'd get my first win or even get a hundred wins let alone four thousand," driver Ray Fisher Jr. said after he posted his 4,000th career victory aboard Autocorect Hanover ($9.80) in the eighth race at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (March 29).

Photo by Steve Roth
Ray Fisher Jr. celebrates 4,000th win with wife Ryan Swift.

 

"I didn't even know I was close to four thousand wins until a few weeks ago. I was kind of surprised," Fisher Jr. said.

 

The 48-year-old Fisher Jr. suffered a broken back in a track mishap in 2013 and that slowed his march to 4,000 wins down. It possibly could have ended his career but he was positive he would come back.

 

"Not driving again never entered my mind," Fisher Jr. said about the possibility of not getting on the sulky again. "I may have come back too soon physically after breaking my back but mentally I had to get out there as quickly as I could. It was just something I had to do."

 

He's definitely back in his comfort zone now as he currently sits in third place at Buffalo Raceway with 56 victories. Fisher Jr. piled up 81 wins last season at the Hamburg half-mile oval and added 98 more in the fall meet at Batavia Downs.

 

Fisher Jr. said he enjoys the competition of driving, especially going against the likes of Jim Morrill Jr., Larry Stalbaum, Shawn Gray and Kevin Cummings on the Western New York circuit. "They are tough to beat for sure but I am fortunate that I get to do it."

 

And is 5,000 wins in the cards for Fisher Jr., a winner of nearly $17 million in career purses? He didn't discount it.

 

"With the evolution of the catch driver now, you can get a lot of chances every night. I've always had good opportunities here or at other tracks so hopefully that will continue," Fisher Jr. said in conclusion.

 

In the co-featured $8,200 paces for the mares, the two favorites found the winner's circle. Dontch Remember (Morrill Jr.) won the opener in 1:57.2 and returned $3.10 while Ben McNeil piloted Looney Dune to the $5.00 victory in 1:56.1.

 

Drew Monti tripled and Morrill Jr. finished the night with a driving double. JD Perrin conditioned a pair of winners.

 

Racing will resume on Friday night at Buffalo Raceway with an 11-race program scheduled for 5 p.m.