By John Manzi
MONTICELLO —March 14, 2006 — Hall of Fame horseman Jim Doherty will be among the drivers competing when Monticello Raceway presents its sixth edition of the St. Paddy Pace on Thursday, March 16.
The race, which is relegated to drivers of Irish descent, kicks off the 2006 Heritage Drivers Series at the Mighty M.
“What better way to begin our Heritage Series than to have a Hall of Fame driver with us,” Monticello Raceway Director of Racing Eric Warner said. “Jim Doherty is one of the truly good guys in harness racing and if there’s an event to promote our sport, Jimmy can always be counted on to participate.”
It seems the St. Paddy Pace has been sort of a Doherty family showplace since Jim won the event two years ago and his son Michael won the inaugural contest in 2001.
Jim Doherty, who hails from New Brunswick in the Canadian Maritimes, got his start in the sport working for his father and then gravitated to New England, where his exploits are legendary.
In 1976, he moved his base of operations to the then newly-opened Meadowlands and has been a top driver there for decades. “Duffy,” as his old friends call him, is one of just three drivers who has won a race at the Meadowlands each year it has been open.
Doherty, who is a consummate horseman, has developed countless champions, including Fool’s Goal, No Nonsense Woman and Starchip Enterprise, just to name a few.
In his illustrious career, he has driven 4,544 winners and his horses have earned in excess of $37 million.
“It’s great to have Jim Doherty  aboard, but we still could use a few others to complete the field for this year’s St. Paddy Pace,” Warner said.
Any driver of Irish heritage interested in competing in the St. Paddy Pace is urged to please call Warner at 794-4100, ext. 557.