by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Goshen Historic Track will feature a full field of drivers, all members of the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, in the 13th annual $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot, to be held July 3. Post time is 1 p.m.

The driving colony for that race brings Jim Doherty, Herve Filion, Wally Hennessey, Mike Lachance, Cat Manzi, Bill O’Donnell, Dave Palone and Ray Remmen together in a “Who’s Who” of harness racing competition. The race honors the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry; their sons Elbridge and Peter will be on hand to present the trophy.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

The 2010 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot featured (left to right) Wally Hennessey, Mike Lachance, Jim Doherty, Herve Filion, Bill O’Donnell, Dave Palone and Cat Manzi.

Jim Doherty, 70, who along with Ray Remmen, 64, have been regulars at the Meadowlands since it opened in 1976, has 4,602 races won and $38.4 million earned. Remmen, along with Doherty, has long trained and driven, and has 2,873 wins as a driver and $34 million in driving earnings.

Wally Hennessey, 54, is still actively competing as a driver, primarily at Pompano Park in Florida, and he has 7,870 wins at this date to go along with $53.2 million in purse earnings.

Herve Filion, 71, continues to lead all harness drivers in North America with 15,180 wins and $88.4 million in purse earnings. Nipping at his heels is Dave Palone, 49, with 14,466 races won and $94 million in earnings.

Mike Lachance, 60, brings 10,199 wins to the race, along with $183.9 million earned on the track. Cat Manzi, at 60, is also a threat to Filion’s record with 14,167 wins and $148.5 million in purse earnings.

Bill O’Donnell, 63, brings his 5,741 wins and $98.5 million in purses to the race. O’Donnell has competed in the Hall of Fame drivers race in the past. The last time he did so, however, he might have been confused with amateur driver Alan Schwartz. O’Donnell forgot his red, white and blue colors and wore Schwartz’s instead.

“This time I’ll bring my own colors,” he says.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Bill O’Donnell has 5,741 lifetime wins and $98.5 million in purses.

O’Donnell drove Cambest nearly 18 years ago, on August 16, 1993, to a time trial of 1:46.1, still the all-age world record. O’Donnell isn’t surprised the record has stood for well into two decades.

“They don’t time trial much anymore, you can’t use a Cheetah sulky anymore and I don’t drive anymore, so it all went together,” he laughed.

Even though many horses have come close to the record, O’Donnell dismisses those attempts.

“It’s a lot easier said than done, eh? Time trialing, you don’t have to worry about getting beat and can take a few more chances than you would in a race. I’ve tried to set world records in a race and all I did was cut the mile for a guy that’s going to go by me and set the records,” O’Donnell says. “I’ve done that a few times. After a while, I probably took some (heat) for it, but I did what was best, trying to get purse money instead of getting a pat on the back or a kick in the (rear), whatever it turns out to be. I think time matters a lot less now. In the Thoroughbred business, time doesn’t mean a whole lot, in the Quarter horses we have up here (Canada), they don’t seem to be fixated on time like we still are.”

O’Donnell, who routinely drove in 2,000 races or more a year in the 1980s, now drives between 100 and 200 times a year, this year only six times thus far. He largely trains and drives for his own two-horse stable of one 3-year-old and one 6-year-old.

“I just have two horses, something to keep me busy. I have a guy that helps me, so we have one apiece,” he laughs.

He also has become a leader among his fellow horsemen and serves as president of the Central Ontario Standardbred Association, which represents the horsemen at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks, since 2009.

“You use your brain and not just your physical being,” he said. “It’s good. We’re in contract for three more years, until 2014.”

He is also on the board of the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, which currently has 65 horses awaiting adoption.