Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Jimmy McNeight Jr. went from as low as he could go to as high as he has ever been in the span of 10 months.

The western New York product had made steady progress since embarking on a driving career in 2016. But at the beginning of this year, things just weren’t working out and, for the first time since he started, McNeight was having doubts.

“I got pretty down last winter,” the 27-year-old said. “I started out the first month-and-a-half and I didn’t win a race at Batavia. I was thinking ‘Man, is this ever gonna turn around?’”

Oh, it turned.

And in a big way.

As of this week, McNeight has posted career highs in wins (126), seconds (128), thirds (115) and earnings ($1,081,310).

Jimmy McNeight Jr. won the $39,600 Jim Derue Memorial Trot final at Saratoga with Crazy Ritz. Cheryl Szczepkowski photo.

In addition to breaking the $1 million mark for the first time, he was named June’s Horseman of the Month at Buffalo Raceway, had two five-win nights at Batavia, and won the $39,600 Jim Derue Memorial Trot final at Saratoga with Crazy Ritz. He drove that same horse to a third-place finish in the New York Sire Stakes Excelsior Series final and won a race with him as a 123-1 longshot at Tioga.

“I had the most fun with Crazy Ritz,” said McNeight, who hit the board in 15 of 18 races, winning eight, with the 3-year-old trotting colt. “And I’m most proud of him.

“I’ve looked back on this season, and it’s been nice. I never would have expected it early in the year, so it’s been nice just taking one day at a time. It was really an unbelievable year for me. It was a fun ride.”

It just took a while to get the ride started. Fortunately, he had his dad to lean on during the down time. Jim McNeight Sr. has won 3,587 races as a driver and 1,193 as a trainer, and he knows all about peaks and valleys.

“My dad was a huge help with that,” McNeight said. “My parents have always been good and supportive that way. I started doing better toward the middle of February. Then I went around and drove fairs. It fell into place really quick after that. Having that trotter (Crazy Ritz) helped a lot. Everything just kind of snowballed.”

It has given the rising driver confidence heading into next season, as a career-that-nearly-wasn’t has started to blossom.

Despite being from a renowned western N.Y. harness racing family that includes his dad, grandfather Ed McNeight Sr., great uncle David McNeight Sr., uncle David McNeight Jr., and cousin David McNeight III, Jimmy had little interest in it as a kid.

“I was big into hockey,” McNeight said. “I always thought I’d go to college. I always considered trying to go be a cop.”

But the criminals got a break; for at age 16 his dad needed help around the barn and Jimmy stepped in just to be a good son. Shoveling manure wasn’t on his list of fun after-school activities.

“I wasn’t happy when I first had to go help,” he said. “Stalls weren’t my favorite. I just figured I’d suck it up. I would have never guessed in the beginning it would lead to this.”

Things started to change, however, when he began jogging horses.

“I had a lot of fun doing that,” McNeight said. “When you work on them and see them start doing good, you’re really happy. I love animals too. They’re all like big pets. The longer I was out there, the more I enjoyed it. I just fell in love with horses and decided really quick that I wanted to do that.”

He worked around the stable for several years, learning the ropes, and had his first drive just prior to turning 20. It was at Buffalo with a horse named Jim Dandy, and McNeight hit the board.

“It was a lot faster pace, I’d only driven qualifiers up to then,” he said. “I ended up getting trapped in and he finished third. If I got him out, I could have won that race.”

The Jim and Jimmy Show were in action a few weeks later and it was Jim Dandy to the rescue. The horse won two straight races and McNeight’s journey was underway. He won 18 races and $107,195 in 2016 and improved those totals every year through 2019 when he won 34 and $310,491.

After a slight slip in 2020 (due to Covid shutdowns), the Lockport, N.Y., resident earned over $500,000 each of the next two seasons before doubling that total this year.

In reflecting on this season, McNeight credits better horses, a solid trainer pipeline and a new strategy.

“I’ve been a lot more aggressive this year,” he said. “I told myself I have to be more aggressive but sometimes it just kind of played out that way. Horses were drawn in spots where I could put them in play early and I took advantage.

“I’ve also had a few trainers be real loyal to me. They didn’t take me off if I made a bad move and I was able to fix it the next week.”

Those trainers include his dad, Kirk Desmond and Jim Rothfuss.

“I’ve always driven a lot for Kirk, and he ended up getting a few more horses and put me down with them,” McNeight said. “I ended up driving for Jim at fairs this year and helped him train when he was at the track with the babies. I picked up more and more from him, I had some success and he stayed loyal.”

Jimmy owns three horses by himself and a fourth with partners. They are trained by Jim Sr. at his Batavia Downs stable, and Jimmy drives them all. While Buffalo and Batavia have been his main tracks, he has been driving at Saratoga on Mondays this year. He finished seventh in wins at Buffalo Raceway, with 37, and is fifth at Batavia Downs with 64. He led the New York fairs circuit in victories.

“I’ll go anywhere,” he said. “Crazy Ritz was able to help me pick up drives at Saratoga and I’m just playing it by ear. If anyone calls me up and says, ‘Do you want to drive?’ I’ll be there. Any time I’m breathing I enjoy racing horses, I love it. If I can pick up work anywhere, I’ll be there.”

As he makes his way up the ladder, McNeight continues to lean on his dad, who has been a rock to lean on.

“He’s always helped me keep my confidence up,” Jimmy said. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, he always kept me level-headed. With the bad streaks you get down in the dumps and he’s always helped me keep my head up.”

Especially with the bad streak to start 2023. Since he escaped that funk, it’s been all smiles for McNeight.

“I feel like I’ve made a big step this year and I’m really happy with how it went,” he said. “I think everyone always has that confidence in themselves that they can do it. But it’s hard to get drivers and trainers to feel the same way as you. I think this year helped a lot with my confidence in that way.”

As for the coming month, he will remain at Batavia and Saratoga, and take a few weeks off through the holidays.

“My parents go on a vacation, when they come back I might try to wing it and take one after that,” he said. “Then my dad will turn out his horses for a week or two and we’ll get started up next year.”

And McNeight will do so feeling pretty darn good about himself.