Career
Started his career in harness racing by helping his stepfather, David Ritter, who trained horses at the Selby County (Ohio) Fairgrounds…Made his driving debut at the age of 14 with a matinee appearance at the Greenville Fair…Just two years later, he was chosen as Ohio Youth Driver--an honor which carried a cash prize -- and promptly used that to buy his first racehorse, Justin’s Skipper…Went to work for trainer Randy Owens at Scioto Downs at the age of 18, grooming, training and driving…Won his first driving title in the spring of 1994 at Lebanon Raceway and would go on to add 12 more titles at the half-mile raceway - 10 of them consecutively…Added to his titles when he captured Scioto Downs championships in 1999 and 2000…In 2001, he shifted his base of operations to The Meadows in western Pennsylvania and he has been among that track’s driving leaders ever since…Finished in the top five in all three driving categories during the ’10 campaign at The Meadows…In January of 1994 he was the recipient of the Peter Haughton Award (honoring an “up-and-coming” star in the Standardbred sport) by the Ohio chapter of the United States Harness Writers’ Association.
Personal
favorite food is pizza…when not racing, he spends time with his wife Heather (daughter of trainer Dan Altmeyer) and two daughters, who are 7 and 8… has two dogs and two cats…first car was a Ford F-150…once worked in room service at a Holiday Inn…likes light rock…is motivated by doing something he loves and making money at it….favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz…the greatest part of his life is the experience of having his daughters…says he’s just an “ordinary guy”
|
|
| Year |
Starts |
1sts |
Rank |
2nds |
3rds |
UDR |
Money Won |
Rank |
| 2023 |
1069 |
184 |
|
163 |
155 |
.305 |
2,026,749 |
|
| 2022 |
1095 |
204 |
|
191 |
158 |
.331 |
2,354,238 |
|
| 2021 |
1227 |
176 |
|
205 |
192 |
.288 |
2,382,666 |
|
| 2020 |
1527 |
254 |
(22) |
243 |
214 |
.301 |
3,076,961 |
|
| 2019 |
2233 |
381 |
(16) |
344 |
286 |
.299 |
3,995,400 |
|
| 2018 |
2089 |
299 |
|
290 |
307 |
.269 |
3,111,160 |
|
| 2017 |
2110 |
311 |
|
292 |
314 |
.274 |
3,518,781 |
|
| 2016 |
2243 |
298 |
|
336 |
328 |
.265 |
3,553,570 |
|
| 2015 |
2340 |
346 |
|
392 |
339 |
.289 |
4,255,132 |
(25) |
| 2014 |
2447 |
368 |
(23) |
365 |
346 |
.280 |
4,075,691 |
(25) |
| 2013 |
2279 |
331 |
|
374 |
322 |
.284 |
3,769,373 |
|
| 2012 |
2218 |
268 |
|
350 |
290 |
.252 |
3,575,426 |
|
| 2011 |
2308 |
244 |
|
294 |
331 |
.224 |
3,265,738 |
|
| 2010 |
2395 |
274 |
|
320 |
351 |
.237 |
3,986,992 |
|
| 2009 |
2364 |
302 |
|
335 |
340 |
.254 |
4,164,781 |
|
| 2008 |
2213 |
280 |
|
318 |
323 |
.255 |
3,498,045 |
|
| 2007 |
2156 |
330 |
|
336 |
296 |
.285 |
2,546,943 |
|
| 2006 |
1886 |
318 |
|
296 |
297 |
.308 |
1,783,513 |
|
| 2005 |
1939 |
323 |
|
323 |
289 |
.309 |
1,945,773 |
|
| 2004 |
2074 |
314 |
|
311 |
341 |
.290 |
2,228,917 |
|
| 2003 |
2021 |
345 |
|
321 |
290 |
.307 |
2,248,934 |
|
| 2002 |
1913 |
290 |
|
297 |
299 |
.290 |
2,307,812 |
|
| 2001 |
1726 |
199 |
|
255 |
234 |
.243 |
1,617,681 |
|
| 2000 |
2288 |
454 |
(11) |
378 |
297 |
.333 |
1,948,317 |
|
| 1999 |
1790 |
351 |
(20) |
244 |
239 |
.316 |
1,157,876 |
|
| 1998 |
1796 |
291 |
|
217 |
233 |
.272 |
799,962 |
|
| 1997 |
1945 |
352 |
(18) |
250 |
282 |
.301 |
877,130 |
|
| 1996 |
1541 |
230 |
|
240 |
214 |
.282 |
607,514 |
|
| 1995 |
1501 |
198 |
|
262 |
200 |
.273 |
428,859 |
|
| 1994 |
1459 |
224 |
|
201 |
200 |
.276 |
450,546 |
|
| 1993 |
843 |
136 |
|
126 |
112 |
.289 |
188,796 |
|
| 1992 |
410 |
51 |
|
65 |
56 |
.258 |
70,311 |
|
| 1991 |
156 |
23 |
|
19 |
17 |
.251 |
27,978 |
|
| 1990 |
35 |
3 |
|
5 |
5 |
.213 |
5,246 |
|
| 1989 |
5 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
.000 |
195 |
|
| 1988 |
6 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
.056 |
183 |
|
| 1987 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
.000 |
0 |
|
|
59647 |
8952 |
|
8958 |
8498 |
.000 |
75,853,189 |
|
|
|
|
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