2021 Trainer Bios

TONY ALAGNA

Born: 6/8/1972 – Birthplace: Champaign, IL – Resides: Manalapan, NJ

Hambletonian wins (1): Ramona Hill, 2020.

 Tony Alagna won the 2020 Hambletonian with filly Ramona Hill, driven by Andy McCarthy. She became the fourth filly trotter to win the Hambletonian since it moved to the Meadowlands in 1981 and the 15th overall to capture the sport’s premier event for 3-year-old trotters. She received the Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old filly trotter.

 In 2012, the Alagna-trained My MVP finished third in the Hambletonian, only a neck behind winner Market Share. Later that season, My MVP won the Kentucky Futurity, which is the third jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown (with the Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot).

 Alagna trained 2016 Hambletonian Oaks runner-up Caprice Hill, who was an O’Brien Award winner in Canada at ages 2 and 3.

 In 2020, Alagna’s stable topped $5 million in purses for the second consecutive year. His stable ranked third in earnings in 2020 and second in 2019. He is second again in 2021.

 A native of Illinois, Alagna followed his mom, Donna Lee, into the sport. He had a pony at the age of 3, was reading up on pedigrees at 9, and solely responsible for his first horse at 10. Soon after graduating from high school, Alagna was assisting his mom with her stable. After working for several different stables, he went out on his own in 2009.

 For his career, Alagna has won more than 1,600 races and $51 million in purses.

 Among his other accomplishments was training Captaintreacherous to Pacer of the Year awards in 2012 and 2013. “The Captain” became the first pacer to win that honor in consecutive years since Jenna’s Beach Boy in 1995-96 and joined Niatross as the only horses to accomplish the feat at ages 2 and 3 since the award was first given in 1970.

 CHRIS BEAVER

Born: 3/4/1972 – Birthplace: Columbus, OH – Resides: Radnor, OH

 Chris Beaver has had two Hambletonian finalists. Il Sogno Dream finished fourth in 2014 and Triumphant Caviar was eighth in 2009. He had a Hambletonian Oaks finalist in 2015, Smokinmombo, who finished eighth-placed-seventh.

 Beaver has won more than 1,200 races and $24 million in purses lifetime. He set a career high for purses in 2019, with $2.95 million. His stable has topped $2 million in each of the past five years.

 He was 23 when he bought the horse that changed his life. Her name was Raging Samantha and Beaver and his mother, Johanna, purchased the future stakes-winning trotter at a yearling auction in 1995 for $9,500. A graduate of Stetson University, Beaver had been thinking about heading to veterinary school, but he became fully immersed in racing thanks to Raging Samantha and her exploits.

 His family has been involved in harness racing since the mid-1950s. Beaver’s grandfather, Henry, got the family started and his father, Charlie, enjoyed success as a trainer (and owned several horses with the late Academy Award-winning actor Don Ameche).

 BRETT BITTLE

Born: 5/3/1964 – Birthplace: Frederick, MD – Resides: Allentown, NJ

Hambletonian Oaks wins (1): Windylane Hanover, 2002.

 Brett Bittle won the 2002 Hambletonian Oaks with Windylane Hanover, driven by Ron Pierce. The filly was owned by his family’s Yankeeland Farms, uncle Charles Keller III, Charles “Chaz” Keller IV, and Dan Bittle.

 Windylane Hanover received a Dan Patch Award in 2003 for best trotting mare.

 For his career, Bittle, who starts an average of around 100 horses per year, has more than 500 wins and $9 million in purses.

 Charles Keller III is in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. Yankeeland Farms was started by his father, Charles “King Kong” Keller, following a standout baseball career with the New York Yankees. Yankeeland Farms bred two Hambletonian winners, Yankee Paco in 2000 and Muscles Yankee in 1998.

 When he was a child, Bittle’s grandfather bought him a pony and launched his interest in horses. Bittle’s first love was riding but he became more interested in harness racing while working at Yankeeland Farms when in high school. During the summers while home from college, he worked for a local training stable and decided to become a trainer.

RON BURKE

Born: 10/16/1969 – Birthplace: Washington, PA – Resides: Canonsburg, PA

 Dan Patch Award Trainer of the Year: 2018, 2013, 2011.

 Ron Burke, who is on this summer’s ballot for the Hall of Fame, has twice finished second in the Hambletonian. Southwind Frank was beaten by a nose by Marion Marauder in 2016 and filly Mission Brief was runner-up in 2015. Four years ago, What The Hill crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference in the stretch.

 Burke took over the family’s training stable from his father Mickey, the 2006 Trainer of the Year, in late 2008 and pushed the operation’s success to record-setting heights. He has led the sport in wins and purses each of the past 12 years and is on top in both categories again in 2021.

 His $260 million in career purses is a record, as is his more than 11,800 wins. He has won no fewer than 762 races a year since 2009 and topped 1,000 victories three times. He has topped $20 million in purses seven times, including a record $28.4 million in 2014. He is the only trainer in history to reach $20 million in a season.

 Burke trained 2017 Horse of the Year winner Hannelore Hanover. His other stars included 2014 Pacer of the Year Sweet Lou and 2011 Pacer of the Year Foiled Again, who retired following the 2018 season as the richest harness racing horse in history with $7.63 million in lifetime earnings.

 Sweet Lou was inducted into the Hall of Fame in July. Foiled Again was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

 In addition to Burke’s success as a trainer, Burke Racing was named Owner of the Year (with partners Mark Weaver and Mike Bruscemi) in 2018 and 2013.

JIM CAMPBELL

Born: 3/9/1962 – Birthplace: London, Ontario – Resides: Jackson, NJ

Hambletonian wins (1): Tagliabue, 1995.

Hambletonian Oaks wins (1): Broadway Schooner, 2009.

 Jim Campbell won the 1995 Hambletonian with Tagliabue, driven by his brother John, and the 2009 Hambletonian Oaks with Broadway Schooner, driven by Brian Sears.

 Both trotters were owned by the wife-and-husband team of Arlene and Jules Siegel. Jules was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2018. Arlene, who passed away in 2010, was inducted into the Hall of Immortals in 2021.

 Broadway Schooner and Tagliabue were Dan Patch Award winners for Campbell.

 With Campbell guiding the Siegels’ stable, the couple was the sport’s Owner of the Year in 2002 and 2009.

 Campbell won the 2019 Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters with Crystal Fashion, who finished fourth in the 2018 Hambletonian.

 Millies Possesion finished second in the 2019 Hambletonian Oaks for Campbell.

 In 2020, Campbell’s stable surpassed $2 million in purses for the third consecutive year. He ranked among the top 20 trainers in earnings all three seasons. He has ranked among the top 25 in purses 15 times in his career.

 He has won more than 1,300 races lifetime and $49 million in purses.

 Campbell followed his father, Jack, and grandfather, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer Dunc Campbell, into harness racing. For his career, Campbell has won more than 1,300 races and $49 million in purses.

YANNICK GINGRAS

Born: 8/4/1979 – Birthplace: Greenfield Park, Quebec – Resides: Allentown, NJ

Yannick Gingras, who turned 41 on Aug. 4, holds the record for most driving wins in the Hambletonian Oaks, with five. He has twice finished second in the Hambletonian, with Mission Brief in 2015 and by a nose with Southwind Frank in 2016.

 Last year in the Hambletonian, Gingras finished second in eliminations with Don’t Let’em and Osterc. In the final he drove Don’t Let’em, who went off stride.

 Gingras’ five Oaks wins came in consecutive years with horse trained by Jimmy Takter. His winners were Lifetime Pursuit (2014), Wild Honey (2015), All The Time (2016), Ariana G (2017) and Manchego (2018).

 A third-generation horseman from Quebec, Gingras arrived in the U.S. in 2001 and established himself as a top driver at Yonkers Raceway. In 2003, he received the Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association and in 2004 he moved his base to the Meadowlands. He has led the Big M in wins four times in his career, most recently in 2015.

 Gingras has finished no worse than second in North American purses for eight years in a row and led the sport four consecutive seasons, 2014-17. His $184 million in career purses rank No. 7 in history.

 He was voted Driver of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association in 2014 and 2017.

 Gingras was the regular driver of 2017 Horse of the Year Award winner Hannelore Hanover.

 Among his many accomplishments, Gingras is known for his association with pacer Foiled Again, who retired in 2018 as the richest horse in harness racing history, with $7.63 million in lifetime earnings.

GEORGE DUCHARME

Born: 12/25/1961 – Birthplace: Norwood, MA – Resides: Norfolk, MA

 Hambletonian wins (1): Royalty For Life, 2013.

 George Ducharme won the 2013 Hambletonian with Royalty For Life, driven by Brian Sears. The race was contested with eliminations and final on the same day. Royalty For Life received the 2013 Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old male trotter.

 He has never had a starter in the Hambletonian Oaks.

 Ducharme has won more than 950 races and nearly $15 million in purses lifetime. His stable has exceeded $1 million in each of the past six years and seven times overall.

 He set career highs with 94 victories and $1.94 million in 2019.

 Ducharme, who has enjoyed success with young horses in both the New York and Massachusetts sire stakes programs, has been a trainer for more than 30 years. He started as a groom at Foxboro Raceway.

ANDREW McCARTHY

Born: 3/31/1986 – Birthplace: Bathurst, Australia – Resides: Swedesboro, NJ

Andrew McCarthy, 34, appeared in his first Hambletonian final in 2019, finishing seventh with Pilot Discretion. The horse was fifth in his elimination.

 McCarthy made his Hambletonian debut in 2017, finishing sixth in an elimination with Sortie and failing to advance to the final. He has driven in three Hambletonian Oaks finals, with a best finish of fourth coming with Hey Blondie in 2018.

 A native of Australia, McCarthy has raced regularly in North America since 2007. He has seen his purse earnings increase annually since the start of 2013, reaching a career-best $7.6 million in 2019.

 In 2019, McCarthy became the eighth driver in history to win at least four Breeders Crown finals in a year. He became the first to accomplish the feat without driving a favorite.

 McCarthy is a third-generation horseman. His brothers Todd and Luke, who raced in the U.S. in 2009, are successful drivers in Australia and his father John is a highly regarded trainer. The McCarthy family was selected by the Bathurst Harness Racing Club as its 2016 Gold Crown honoree.

MARCUS MELANDER

Born: 7/1/1992 – Birthplace: Sweden – Resides: New Egypt, NJ

Dan Patch Award Trainer of the Year: 2019.

 Marcus Melander had three starters in each of the past two Hambletonian finals.

 Melander’s top finisher in the 2020 final was Hollywood Story, who was fifth. In 2019, Greenshoe finished second, Gimpanzee was third, and Green Manalishi S was fifth. Greenshoe and Green Manalishi S were elimination winners.

 His first Hambletonian was in 2017. He saw Enterprise win his elimination and finish fourth-placed-third in the final. In 2018, Melander-trained Evaluate finished fifth in the final.

 Melander had his best Hambletonian Oaks finish in 2020 with Hypnotic AM, who was second.

 Greenshoe was the 2019 Trotter of the Year. Greenshoe and Gimpanzee both earned more than $1 million that year and Melander became only the second trainer to have two million-dollar-earning trotters in the same division in the same season, joining Jimmy Takter.

 Melander, at the age of 27 in 2019, was the youngest trainer ever voted Trainer of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. The recognition came one year after he was named the Rising Star Award winner by the same organization.

 A native of Sweden, Melander came to the U.S. and worked for four-time Hambletonian-winning trainer Takter before starting his own stable in late 2014. He is based in New Egypt, N.J., at a farm that was home previously to each the legendary Stanley Dancer, a five-time Hambletonian winner, and Continental Farms stables.

 Melander has won more than 300 races and $15 million in purses in his career.

 His uncle, Stefan, won the 2001 Hambletonian as trainer and driver with Scarlet Knight.

ANDY MILLER

Born: 9/7/1968 – Birthplace: Mattoon, IL – Resides: Millstone Township, NJ

Andy Miller, 51, drove 2008 Hambletonian Oaks winner Creamy Mimi for trainer Trond Smedshammer.

 Miller drove Summit In Sight in the 2019 Hambletonian eliminations, finishing eighth and failing to advance to the final.

 Prior to last year, Miller drove horses to three consecutive top-three finishes in finals: Met’s Hall was second in 2018, Devious Man was third-placed-second in 2017 and Sutton was third, beaten only a neck, in 2016. All three horses were trained by Miller’s wife, Julie.

 Miller grew up in an Amish community in Illinois and started driving at the age of 16 on the Illinois fair circuit. He was a top driver in Chicago before moving to the East Coast in 2006.

 Andy and Julie were married in 1996 and started their harness racing stable the same year.

 Miller has won more than 9,500 races and ranks 20th in victories among all drivers in history. He has earned $128 million in purses, a total that is 14th best in history.

 He has twice represented the U.S. in the World Driving Championship, finishing fourth in 2005 and sixth in 2007.

DAVID MILLER

Born: 12/10/1964 – Birthplace: Columbus, OH – Resides: Cream Ridge, NJ

David Miller, 55, won the 2012 Hambletonian Oaks with Personal Style, trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman.

 In 2019, Miller finished third in the Hambletonian final with Gimpanzee. In the 2017 final, he drove What The Hill, who crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference in the stretch. Miller had third-place finishes in 2015 with Uncle Lasse and 2013 with Corky.

 A 2014 inductee into the Hall of Fame, Miller ranks No. 2 all time in purses, with $243 million, and has finished among the top five in earnings 20 of the past 21 years. John Campbell, now president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society, holds the sport’s record for purses with $300 million.

 Miller is No. 5 all-time in wins, with nearly 13,000.

 He was the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year in 2016, 2015 and 2003.

 In 2003, Miller led the sport in purses and drove No Pan Intended to the Pacing Triple Crown and Horse of the Year honors. In 2016, Miller was the driver of Horse of the Year Award winner Always B Miki, who paced the fastest mile in harness racing history when he won in 1:46 at Lexington’s Red Mile.

 In 2015, Miller set a record with five Breeders Crown wins in a single year.

 Miller, who received the 1993 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association, was already a standout in his native Ohio when he headed to the East Coast in the late 1990s. He captured multiple driving titles at the Meadowlands Racetrack in the early 2000s and has been a force on the Grand Circuit ever since he made the move.

JULIE MILLER

Born: 11/20/1972 – Birthplace: Iowa City, IA – Resides: Millstone Township, NJ

 Julie Miller has had a Hambletonian finalist four of the past five years.

 From 2016 to 2018, Miller posted three consecutive top-three finishes in the Hambletonian. In 2018, Met’s Hall finished second to Atlanta. In 2017, Devious Man was third-placed-second in the final and a year earlier Sutton was a fast-closing third, beaten only a neck, in the race won by Marion Marauder. Last year’s finalist, Big Oil, went off stride from post nine.

 In 2014, Miller-trained Designed To Be finished second in the Hambletonian Oaks while stablemate Take The Money finished third.

 Miller has finished in the top 25 among North American trainers in earnings each of the past 12 years. She has finished in the top 10 in six of the past seven seasons.

 She has won more than 2,000 career races and $46 million in purses.

 In 2017, Miller was inducted into the Iowa Harness Racing Hall of Fame, where she joined her father, Owen Julius. Miller grew up in Iowa, where her family raced at the county fairs. Miller graduated from Southern Illinois University with a science degree but turned her attention to racing.

 After beginning her career in Illinois, Miller moved with her husband, driver Andy Miller, to the East Coast and became a nationally recognized trainer at the Meadowlands and on the Grand Circuit.

 On Hambletonian Day in 2009, Miller-trained trotter Lucky Jim won the Nat Ray (now Cashman Memorial) in a then-world-record-equaling 1:50.1 with Andy driving at the Meadowlands. Lucky Jim was a Dan Patch Award winner.

RICHARD “NIFTY” NORMAN

Born: 10/21/1960 – Birthplace: New Zealand – Resides: Allentown, NJ

 Hambletonian Oaks wins (2): Bee A Magician, 2013; Personal Style, 2012.

 Nifty Norman is a two-time winner of the Hambletonian Oaks, training 2012 winner Personal Style, driven by David Miller, and 2013 champion Bee A Magician, driven by Brian Sears.

 Bee A Magician was Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada in 2013. She was 17-for-17 and earned $1.54 million. Her earnings were a record for a 3-year-old filly trotter. She retired with multiple Dan Patch and O’Brien awards and her $4 million in career purses put her among the richest trotters in history. She was voted to the Hall of Fame in 2020.

 In 2020, Norman sent out his first Hambletonian finalist, Amigo Volo, who finished fourth from post 10. Amigo Volo went on to win the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown and received the Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old male trotter.

 Norman’s stable set a career high in 2020 with $4.45 million in purses and ranked fifth in the category among all trainers in North America. In 2019, Norman’s stable surpassed $4 million for the first time, with $4.26 million, and was 10th.

 For his career, Norman has won more than 1,400 races and $42 million in purses. He has exceeded $1 million so far this season, giving him 16 consecutive years with at least $1 million in earnings.

 A native of New Zealand, where he worked with horses after leaving school, Norman came to California in 1985 to visit his friend, trainer Ross Croghan, and ended up staying to help with Croghan’s stable. He later worked with Brett Pelling before starting his own stable.

 BRIAN SEARS

Born: 1/21/1968 – Birthplace: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Resides: Secaucus, NJ

Brian Sears, 52, is a three-time winning driver in the Hambletonian and two-time winner of the Hambletonian Oaks.

 In 2019, Sears finished second in the Hambletonian final with Greenshoe, who was an elimination winner. Forbidden Trade won the final by a neck.

 Sears won both the Hambletonian and Oaks in 2009, earning his Hambletonian victory with Muscle Hill and Oaks triumph with Broadway Schooner. He became the first driver to win the Hambletonian and Oaks in the same year. In 2013, he repeated the double, winning the Hambletonian with Royalty For Life and the Oaks with Bee A Magician.

In 2015, Sears won the Hambletonian with Pinkman. Yannick Gingras drove Pinkman to victory in his elimination, but opted to drive filly Mission Brief, also an elimination winner, in the final.

 Sears is among five drivers to win the Hambletonian three times. John Campbell holds the record, with six, and there are four drivers tied for second place, with four. They are Ben White, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, and Mike Lachance.

 For his career, Sears has won more than 10,000 races and $199 million in purses. He ranks 18th in North American history for wins among drivers and fifth in purses. He led the sport in earnings in 2005, with a then-record $15 million, and has finished among the top 10 in purses 14 of the past 16 years.

 Sears has driven four Horse of the Year award winners: Rocknroll Hanover in 2005, Muscle Hill in 2009, Bee A Magician in 2013, and McWicked in 2018.

 He received the 2009 Driver of the Year Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association and was the 1991 Rising Star Award recipient from the same organization.

 A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sears is a third-generation horseman, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Gene and dad Jay. Both are in the Florida Harness Racing Hall of Fame.

 Sears was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., in 2017.

AKE SVANSTEDT

Born: 11/18/1958 – Birthplace: Sweden – Resides: Columbus, NJ

 Hambletonian wins (1): Perfect Spirit, 2017.

 Ake Svanstedt trained and drove Perfect Spirit, who won the 2017 Hambletonian when What The Hill was disqualified for interference in the stretch. It was the first disqualification of a winner in Hambletonian history.

 Svanstedt-trained Back Of The Neck, driven by Scott Zeron, finished third in the 2020 Hambletonian final behind filly Ramona Hill and Ready For Moni. He had two finalists in 2019. Soul Strong, driven by Dexter Dunn, finished fourth and Marseille, driven by Svanstedt, was sixth.

 Previous stars for Svanstedt included Dan Patch Award winner Sebastian K, who became the then-fastest trotter in history when he went a mile in 1:49 in 2014. Svanstedt has trained a record four trotters to win races in 1:49.4 or faster, with two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Six Pack, Darling Mearas S, and Plunge Blue Chip joining Sebastian K.

 Svanstedt moved to the U.S. from Sweden in 2014. His training stable set a career high with $5.21 million in purses in 2020, ranking fourth in North America. He has exceeded $4 million in four of the past five years.

 As a trainer, he has won more than 700 career races in North America and $30 million in purses. As a driver, he has topped 400 victories and $20 million.

 Svanstedt was Sweden’s Trainer of the Year five times and Driver of the Year on three occasions. He won 6,306 races as a driver in Sweden and 5,384 as a trainer. In 2017, he was inducted in Sweden’s Hall of Fame.

 During his career overseas, Svanstedt won the Elitlopp twice, with Torvald Palema in 2009 and Gidde Palema in 2004, the Copenhagen Cup three times and both the Oslo Grand Prix and Olympic Trot four times.

 Svanstedt grew up with horses in Sweden. His father, who was in the timber business, used horses for work and raced cold-blooded trotters. Svanstedt began his professional career at the age of 24 and within several years was the champion at his home track in Bergsaker. 

NANCY TAKTER

Born: 6/23/1981 – Birthplace: Malmo, Sweden – Resides: Allentown, NJ

Dan Patch Award Trainer of the Year: 2020.

Hambletonian Oaks wins (1): 2020.

 Nancy Takter continued something of a family tradition by winning the 2020 Hambletonian Oaks with Sorella. Her father Jimmy won the event a record eight times. Yannick Gingras drove Jimmy Takter’s final five Oaks champs, which came consecutively from 2014 to 2018, and also drove Sorella.

 In addition to winning with Sorella, Takter finished third in the Oaks final with Panem. Later in the day, Takter-trained Ready For Moni was second in the Hambletonian final.

 Sorella was Canada’s 2020 O’Brien Award winner for best 3-year-old filly trotter.

 Takter was the caretaker of 2010 Hambletonian winner Muscle Massive, trained by her father. She made her Hambletonian final debut as a trainer in 2014 with Resolve, who finished fifth.

 Last year, Takter set career highs with 127 wins and $8.07 million in purses. Her earnings were second in North America to perennial category leader Ron Burke.

 Takter was the unanimous selection for 2020 Trainer of the Year by the chapters of the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

 She is in the top five in purses this season.

 For her career, Takter has won more than 450 races and $22 million.

 In 2013, Takter started her own training stable. In 2014, she guided 2-year-old female pacer JK She’salady to Horse of the Year honors. JK She’salady is the only 2-year-old filly pacer to be named Horse of the Year.

 Takter received the Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association in 2014.

 She has trained two Horse of the Year Award winners. JK She’salady, who earned the honor in both the U.S. and Canada in 2014, and Tall Dark Stranger in 2020.

 Takter was 1 when she moved with her family from Sweden to the U.S. Her father is Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, a four-time winner of the Hambletonian and record eight-time winner of the Hambletonian Oaks.

TIM TETRICK

Born: 11/22/1981 – Birthplace: Flora, IL – Resides: Woolwich Township, NJ

Tim Tetrick, 38, won the 2012 Hambletonian with Market Share, trained by Linda Toscano. He has twice finished second in the final, with Smilin Eli in 2013 and Crazed in 2008. He was fifth in 2019 with Green Manalishi S, who was an elimination winner.

 Tetrick has two wins in the Hambletonian Oaks, with Bar Slide in 2010 and Danae in 2007. He was third in 2019 with Asiago.

 In 2019, Tetrick was elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.

 Tetrick led the sport in purses in 2019 with $15.6 million. He also led in 2018 and for seven consecutive years, 2007 through 2013. He ranks No. 3 all time in earnings, with $221 million. Tetrick has topped $10 million each of the past 13 years, which is a record.

 Tetrick has ranked among the top 10 drivers in wins for 15 consecutive years. He has won more than 11,600 career races and ranks No. 8 all-time in the category. He was 37 when he reached 11,000 last June, shattering the record for youngest driver to reach 11,000, which was set previously by a 42-year-old Walter Case Jr. in 2003.

 In 2007, Tetrick won a single-season record 1,189 races and was named the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Rising Star Award winner as well as Driver of the Year. That season he became the first driver to lead the sport in both wins and purses (a then-record $18.3 million) in the same year since 1991.

 He also was Driver of the Year in 2008, 2012 and 2013.

 Tetrick was the regular driver of 2012 Horse of the Year Award winner Chapter Seven and 2019 Horse of the Year Award winner Shartin N.

 He represented the U.S. in the 2015 World Driving Championship and finished third.

 Tetrick grew up in Illinois and followed his father, Tom D. Tetrick, into the sport. Brothers Tom T. and Trace also are involved in harness racing. Trace is the all-time leader in driving wins at Hoosier Park.

LINDA TOSCANO

Born: 6/26/1955 – Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY – Resides: Freehold, NJ

 Hall of Fame: Class of 2019.

Dan Patch Award Trainer of the Year: 2012.

Hambletonian wins (1): Market Share, 2012.

 Linda Toscano was the first female trainer to win the Hambletonian, which she did with Market Share in 2012.

 One year earlier, Toscano-trained Chapter Seven finished fourth in the race. In 2017, Toscano trained the favorite heading toward the event, Dan Patch Award-winner Walner, but the colt was unable to race because of injury and was later retired.

 Chapter Seven came back at age 4 and won eight of 10 races, $1.02 million, and was named Horse of the Year. He was one of three Dan Patch Award winners for Toscano that season, with Market Share and pacer Heston Blue Chip, and Toscano was named 2012 Trainer of the Year Award by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. She was the first female trainer to receive the honor.

 She has had one Hambletonian Oaks finalist. Dream Child finished seventh in 2016.

 Toscano, a breast cancer survivor, has won more than 2,300 races as a trainer. She has $60 million in career purses and has topped $1 million in earnings for 16 consecutive years, including 2021.

 A Brooklyn native, Toscano briefly attended SUNY at Stony Brook before finding her calling and beginning her career on the track. She worked side by side with veteran trainer Buddy Regan and Hall of Famers Buddy Gilmour and John Campbell prior to stepping out on her own in 1985.

LUCAS WALLIN

Born: 12/28/1992 – Birthplace: Sweden – Resides: New Egypt, NJ

 Lucas Wallin, 27, had two finalists in the 2019 Hambletonian Oaks. Princess Deo finished fifth and Queen Of Trix finished sixth. Each filly finished third in her elimination.

 In 2018, Wallin started Winbak Noelle in the Oaks elims, but failed to reach the final.

 Wallin grew up in Sweden, where he was driving ponies at the age of 8. Several years later, he began helping at his uncle Joakim Wallin’s stable.

 In mid-2014, he was alerted to an opportunity to work for Ake Svanstedt’s stable in the U.S. by childhood friend Oskar Florhed. Wallin spent two years with Svanstedt before deciding to go on his own.

 Since then, Wallin’s stable has won 84 races and $1.39 million.

 Wallin got his biggest win to date on July 3 when Ab’sattitudexpress won the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship for 3-year-old filly trotters at the Meadowlands.

SCOTT ZERON

Born: 5/23/1989 – Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec – Resides: Chester, NY

 Scott Zeron, 31, has already hoisted the Hambletonian trophy twice in his career.

 In 2018, Zeron-driven Atlanta became the first female trotter since Continentalvictory in 1996 to win the Hambletonian. At the end of the season, she was named Trotter of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

 Two years earlier, Zeron won with Marion Marauder, who went on to capture the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity to sweep the Trotting Triple Crown. Marion Marauder was the ninth Trotting Triple Crown winner and was named Trotter of the Year.

 With Marion Marauder, the then 27-year-old Zeron was the second-youngest driver to win the Hambletonian and youngest driver to win a harness racing Triple Crown, either trotting or pacing.

 In 2019, Zeron finished ninth in the Hambletonian final with Cantab Fashion.

 Zeron was born in Montreal and made a name for himself in Ontario, twice leading all Canadian drivers in wins (2010 and 2011) before relocating to the U.S. near the end of 2013.

 He won the 2012 Little Brown Jug with Michael’s Power and at age 23 was the youngest driver to ever win the race. He received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.