by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — By the definition of amateur, Alan Schwartz is definitely one and the same. However, he is not a novice by any means and is arguably the most prolific amateur harness driver in the recent history of the sport.

It is a well-known fact, especially around Monticello Raceway, that Schwartz is one of the best amateurs competing today. Racing mostly against professionals, Schwartz more than holds his own. His 462 career wins can attest to his driving prowess.

Geri Schwarz photo

Alan Schwartz won a pair of races on Monday at Monticello.

On Monday (April 2), Schwartz had another driving double — his second in as many weeks — which raised his seasonal win total to 19 and that’s in just 79 trips to post. When his 11 seconds and six thirds are factored in, his universal driving percentage is a whopping .377.

Schwartz won the first race on Monday with his own trotter, Iroquouindianmagic, in a 2:01.4 clocking and then came back in the sixth to score a 1:59.1 triumph with Pembroke Boogie, a pacer he also owns.

Nevertheless he is quick to praise his patch-up purchase of veteran pacer Doug’s Boy, whom Schwartz says gives him a million dollars worth of pleasure every time they go to post. And since he acquired the once classy veteran a few years ago for “next to nothing” as Schwartz describes it, together they have won 25 races in 63 starts.

Among his other accomplishments, Schwartz was named the National Amateur Driver of the Year during the 2000 season and he has represented the United States three times in the prestigious World Cup of Amateur Racing. He has driven in many European countries as well as in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Russia, and usually with good success, winning races in every country in which he drove.

He has also been named Amateur Driver of the Year twice by the Monticello Goshen Chapter of USHWA. And in 2002, he received the Clyde Hirt “Good Guy” award by the New York City chapter of USHWA.

Schwartz has been a Billings champion, too, and though his focus now is more on his small racing stable than traveling around the country to compete in the Billings Series, he’ll tell you that next to his wife, children and grandchildren, driving in harness races is his biggest love.

A few seasons ago Schwartz was elected president of the Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association and he works tirelessly for the good of his horsemen and for the good of racing. His rapport with track management works to everyone’s advantage.

“Working with management is a two way street,” he says. “Like all business, negotiations is give and take. Nobody ever gets everything they want. Together we have done some good things for the horsemen and some good things for management. But there never is, nor ever was, a hostile word.”

And Schwartz should know because prior to being a full-time horseman he was an astute businessman who founded and operated Coast To Coast Moving and Storage.

“Although I’m putting in more hours and working harder today than I ever did when I was in my own business, between farm work at home, jogging my horses every day, and horseman’s association business, my days are long but it’s a labor of love. Needless to say I love racing and I am seriously committed to making things better for the Monticello horsemen. It’s my passion.”