It’s safe to say William Carter is a tad ahead of where he thought he would be at this point in his career. “A hundred percent,” the 20-year-old Maryland driver said. “I didn’t know where I’d be. I thought I might still be cleaning stalls at this time.” Rather than cleaning stalls, he’s cleaning up to the tune of over $1.1 million in purse earnings through 1,114 starts this season.
Category: Rich Fisher
Lesley McDaniel has caught the driving fever
As he came across the finish line for his first driving win, Lesley McDaniel was not only thinking about what he did, but who announced him doing it.
Burke aims for memorable Crown weekend
With morning-line favorites in five of the 12 Breeders Crown finals at the Meadowlands, trainer Ron Burke is hoping for a big weekend as he looks to add to his collection of 20 trophies.
A conversation with Donald Wiest
Donald Wiest rises at 5:30 a.m. every morning, feeds his mares and babies, enjoys breakfast, goes to the fairgrounds to train his two racehorses and returns home around 11:30 a.m. From there he watches races on TV to avoid the heat, and retires to bed after the 11 p.m. news. If that doesn’t sound like much, consider this. On Tuesday, Wiest turns 94.
Curt Harper is ‘living the dream every day’
Curt Harper became a harness racing driver the usual way. In the Bizarro World, that is. Harper grew up in a racing family, but his path took him from rugby player to kick boxing champion/gym owner to the sulky. He is likely the first person in harness racing history to have gone that route. That’s what happens when one will do anything to reach their goal.
Fair racing keeps Detweiler on the go
When he was a youngster growing up in Sullivan, Ill., Marcus Detweiler would sometimes hitch ponies to a cart and go for a spin. Flash forward to the present and Detweiler is making his mark as a driver on the Illinois fair scene.
R Melina takes aim at Oaks glory
A little less equipment and a little more politeness and patience has R Melina at the top of her game entering Saturday’s $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands.
‘Elista’ looks to keep rolling in Oaks elim
Elista Hanover is roaring into Saturday’s second of three eliminations of the $675,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands as the 6-5 morning-line favorite with nine straight wins. This comes after an injury-hampered campaign at 2 in which she won just once in nine starts.
Rivals ready for dance with Nijinsky
While stablemates Nijinsky and Legendary Hanover enter Saturday’s $650,000 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-olds at The Meadowlands as the top choices on the morning line at 2-1 and 3-1, respectively, a number of other horses could be in the mix when it comes to chasing victory at The Meadowlands. They include a quartet at odds of less than 10-1: Funtime Bayama (7-2), Mirage Hanover (9-2), Captain Albano (5-1) and Captain’s Quarters (8-1).
Devon Tharps has found his niche in life and racing
If Devon Tharps was any happier, he might need surgery to remove some of the excess joy that’s invading his body. “Man, I couldn’t ask for it to go any better; 2024 has been a year full of blessings for me,” said the man whose life has seemingly begun at age 30.