by Hannah Gentry, Hoosier Park publicity department

Anderson, IN — Frank Tagariello is a part of Hoosier Park history. He ventured to Indiana and was part of the first few years of racing when the track opened in 1994. Although he’s been absent from the scene during a portion of the time, he is back in Indiana this season and still enjoying his life at the track.

Linscott Photography

Frank Tagariello

As a child, Tagariello was taken to the races near his home on Long Island, New York, and immediately knew he had found his calling. Beginning at Roosevelt Raceway, Tagariello started as a groom and moved his way up to trainer in a few short years. He also worked alongside Ben and Gert Shafer, some of the best in the business on the East Coast. Tagariello soon began training and driving at Roosevelt Raceway and expanded to other small tracks along the Eastern seaboard.

Tagariello was motivated to come to Hoosier Park when it opened due to family ties to the area. He also admits curiosity of what the new racetrack was all about lured him to Indiana. At the time, he was racing at Yonkers Raceway outside of New York City and Freehold Raceway in New Jersey. For several years, Tagariello fared well as a driver and trainer among those who raced in New York and New Jersey and piloted many champion horses while he was on the East Coast, including the standout trotter V Eight, who he brought to Indiana.

V Eight competed over 13 seasons from 1993 until 2005, earning nearly $500,000. The Royal Prestige gelding raced at Hoosier Park in the track’s top trotting events, posting several of his 56 career wins at the track.

As he entered his prime, Tagariello was racing all over the East Coast and added Pompano Park to his circuit during the winter months. He would often find himself taking a helicopter between races at the Meadowlands to Roosevelt Raceway in order to race at both tracks in one day.

Among his many days driving, Tagariello often traveled with one of the world’s leading drivers, Herve Filion. Filion has won more races that any other driver in North America with more than 15,000 wins. Together they would race at Freehold during the day, New York at night, and after the races were over they would go to Atlantic City where they had their own table.

“Herve had his own driver and we would sleep in the car until we got to Atlantic City,” said Tagariello. “We spent the night, and started the cycle again the next day. Those days were much different in racing than now.”

Tagariello now spends his days close to Hoosier Park and is a frequent customer in the Homestretch Clubhouse. Filled with tons of racing stories and interesting information, Tagariello has been part of both harness and Thoroughbred racing, but is here now only to train with and assist Dick Macomber, who has also had his share of success in this business with several top horses of his own. Tagariello can often be found sitting alongside fellow Hoosier Park veterans Stogie Stan and Loren Combs.

“Being at Hoosier Park is great when you are surrounded by amazing people and the horse racing atmosphere,” said Tagariello. “It’s something that has been part of my life forever, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”