Who's Who at the Track
Drivers, trainers and horses are the most prominent figures in the sport of harness racing. But there are many jobs in the industry that are essential to the success of any racehorse.
Trainer
A trainer is responsible for the conditioning and care of a horse. Trainers are hired by owners to get their horses ready to race, and to help them perform at their best. Trainers are also in charge of fitting the horses with the right equipment to maximize their racing potential, and making sure they stay healthy and strong throughout the season.
Driver
A driver sits behind the
horse in a race bike, or
sulky, and steers the horse
around the track. A driver
must have a special license
from the United States
Trotting Association that
gives him or her permission
to drive a horse in a race.
Drivers have uniforms,
specific to them, called "colors." Each driver's
colors has a unique pattern and arrangement of
colors and must be registered with the USTA.
Unlike Thoroughbred racing, where each jockey
wears the horse owner's "silks," drivers wear their
individual colors regardless of the owner of the
horse.
Owner
An owner is the person who purchases the horse,
and pays the bills to feed and take care of it. An
owner can be an individual or a partnership, which
is a group of people that share the responsibilities
and profits earned by a horse.
Caretaker/Groom
A caretaker, or groom, works for a trainer, and is
the person responsible for harnessing the horse and
taking care of its equipment, as well as keeping the
horse and its stall clean.
Mutuel clerk
A mutuel clerk is the person at the mutuel window
who takes wagers and presents the bettor with a
betting ticket. He or she also pays out the money
when a bettor has a winning ticket.
Judge
Judges are like the referees of harness racing.
Their job is to make sure that all the rules of
racing are being followed. They watch for rules
infractions such as interference and breaks (which
occur when a horse gallops instead of maintaining
the trotting or pacing gait). Judges can assess fines
or penalties, and they even have the power to
overturn race results.
Outrider
Riding a horse, an outrider
is responsible for leading the
horses out onto the track
and helping to corral them
if they get loose. In the event
of an accident, the outrider
helps collect any horses that
get away from their drivers
and tries to keep them safe
in the process.
Announcer
The announcer sits in a booth above the racetrack,
with the best vantage point to see a race. He is the
one who describes the race over the public address
system.
Photographer
Track photographers take pictures of the winner
at the finish line and after the race is over in the
winner's circle, as the horse poses with the winning
owner, trainer, driver and other connections.
Starter
The starter is the person who rides in the starting
gate (a car or truck with a hinged gate behind it),
and is responsible for getting the horses to the
starting line in the right order.
The starter calls the horses to follow the gate to
the starting line. Once the horses reach the start,
the starting car speeds up and pulls away.
Farrier
A farrier, or blacksmith, is a person who specializes in hoof care. He is responsible for putting on shoes and changing them when necessary. Horses wear shoes because it helps them grip the track and it keeps their hooves from wearing down.
Veterinarian
Like people, horses have doctors, or veterinarians, that are available at the racetrack to make sure they're healthy. Veterinarians perform routine check-ups, while other times they are called upon to treat injuries that happen during a race or training.
