Top drivers help fuel Big M
At 0h03, on May 14, 2021 • By MEADOWLANDS
The Meadowlands is known as the top racetrack in all of harness racing. Big fields with the best horses from the best trainers going for big purses is a formula for success.
But the one thing that players of the mile oval might best identify with is the driver colony, which started out as the best in the game and has continued to steadily improve since the beginning of the COVID-19 era. It has now reached heights likely never seen in the 45-year history of the track.
“The top drivers of any era could compete and adapt to today’s style of racing,” said Hambletonian Society President John Campbell, who is the leading driver in Meadowlands history. “That being said. The driver colony that is currently at The Meadowlands is deeper than it has ever been.”
A look at the 2020 North American final driver statistics show where the talent level is at The Big M. In terms of money earnings, the top five all drive regularly in East Rutherford. Dexter Dunn, the two-time defending United States Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year, had earnings of $11.1 million and won the 2020 Fall Meet driving title at The Meadowlands. He is the current leader in the standings at the Championship Meeting with 75 trips to the winner’s circle.
Tim Tetrick, who last weekend swept both Miss Versatility divisions at the mile oval, earned $9.9 million, followed by Yannick Gingras — who was the regular pilot for Horse of the Year Tall Dark Stranger — at $9.2 million, David Miller — the second-leading money-earning driver of all-time at over $250 million — with $8.3 million, and Andy McCarthy — who won the only two million-dollar races in the sport a year ago — with $6.6 million.
In addition, with racing still halted in Ontario, Canada’s top two drivers from 2020 — Bob McClure and Doug McNair — have moved their tacks temporarily to the Big M. Other names seen in the Meadowlands’ program with regularity are Scott Zeron, Joe Bongiorno, Brian Sears, George Brennan, Corey Callahan and Andy Miller.
That means 13 of the top 22 drivers in the game from a year ago are part of the prolific roster of pilots at the mile oval.
“It’s one of the greatest driver colonies ever assembled,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “The horseplayers around the world are speaking with their dollars. It’s incredible to see this kind of talent competing every weekend on a mile track. Let’s be perfectly honest. The Meadowlands is hosting an All-Star Game every night.”
Last weekend was like so many others lately, with vigorous wagering. In fact, Friday and Saturday saw total betting of better than $7 million over the 26 races, the sixth time this year weekend action reached that lofty plateau.
“The handle numbers don’t lie,” said Settlemoir. “We are getting Thoroughbred players and sports bettors to wager on our races, and our pools haven’t been this large in over a decade. And the best is yet to come during our Championship Meet.”
