Trainer Shane Spiess notched his 1,000th career victory when he saddled three-year-old gelding Barken to a 1 3/4-length score in the seventh race at Great Lakes Downs on Wednesday.

Barken, piloted by Federico Mate, went right to the lead as the 3-to-2 favorite in the four-furlong sprint and cruised to a comfortable win under mild urging to cement the victory for Spiess.

Spiess moved to within one win of the milestone triumph when Shanty Hill Road prevailed by a head in the fourth race. Spiess has been training professionally since 1980 and also owns both Barken and Shanty Hill Road.

Spiess is fifth in the Great Lakes trainer standings as of September 21 with 29 wins from 198 starters that have earned $208,330.