LAUREL, MD. 11-28-13---Trainer Jamie Ness won for the 2,000^th time in his career when Caylee’s Song took today’s second race at Laurel Park. The 6-year-old gelding beat six other claimers and paid $4 as the even money favorite. Ness narrowly missed reaching the plateau in the opener when Pelican Cove was beaten a head.

Ness watched on his iPad from Tampa where he is spending the Thanksgiving holiday with his family. He is looking for his seventh consecutive training title at Tampa Bay Downs when that meet opens next week.

“I felt pretty good about reaching the milestone today,” Ness said. “It just seems like yesterday I won my 1,000^th. The last 1,000 came pretty fast. I am happy for my staff and my owner (Midwest Thoroughbreds).”

Ness won his first race with Blue Rocket at Canterbury Park on Aug. 21, 1999 and had just 230 victories through 2006. Since 2009, his runners have visited the winners’ circle nearly 1,500 times.

“I took my bumps and bruises the first few years and just tried to learn how to do things right,” added Ness. “I made a lot of mistakes and every time I did, I tried not to do it again. With experience you get better just like any business. We started to get better and better each year. The last few years we have stayed consistent and that is what I am most proud of.”

Last year, the 39-year-old led all North American conditioners with 395 victories, including 83 at Laurel and Pimlico, after finishing as the runner-up in 2010 and 2011.

Ness has 20 victories at the current fall meeting, two behind Hugh McMahon.

“I bought a house near the Baltimore airport in September and plan on spending the winter here in Tampa and in Maryland,” Ness said. “I will keep 35 or 40 horses at Laurel, a barn full at Tampa and a few at Gulfstream. I will be back and forth all winter.”

Red-hot apprentice Victor Carrasco was aboard for the milestone score. The 21-year-old won two races on the holiday card, also reaching the wire first with Isolation Road in the opener. He leads the Laurel fall standings with 41 victories and ranks 17th in North America with 184 scores.

“I am happy to be part of Jamie Ness’s 2,000^th winner,” Carrasco said. “I just keep working hard and appreciate the trainers for giving me opportunities.”

Carrasco has won 21 races at Laurel so far this month and in the process moved to the top of the North American apprentice rankings in both victories and earnings ($3,622,465).

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.