Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Doug Pfeifer has been involved with harness racing horses for 40 years, strictly as a hobby. His son, Dustin, has been with the sport for 25 years, also as a hobby. Dustin’s son, Clayton, is already in his 11th year with Standardbreds and, so far, it’s been an after-school activity.

“This is actually just a hobby for us,” the 16-year-old Clayton said. “My dad never trained for a living, it’s just a hobby. We’ve got a few of our own, we train some others for a hobby and it gives us something to do.”

Unlike his father and grandfather, however, Clayton is looking to break from family tradition.

“I’ve kind of got to where I want to do it for a living if I get that good,” he said. “I’d like to drive horses for a living. I’d like to train a couple and drive.”

In his first season of racing at the fairs, Clayton Pfeifer’s mounts have won $19,177 and he has two firsts, two seconds and nine thirds in 27 starts. Winner Photography.

The Waverly (Ohio) High School junior is off to a good start. In his first season of racing at the fairs, Pfeifer’s mounts have won $19,177 and he has two firsts, two seconds and nine thirds in 27 starts.

He gained his first win at the Jackson County Fair in Wellston, Ohio, on July 17 with Pines Triplenickel, a 3-year-old filly pacer owned by Patsy Hall and trained by his dad. His second victory came 15 days later behind the same horse at the Pike County Fair in Piketon.

Pfeifer’s initial win was not without some angst at the end.

“We started in the back tier,” he recalled. “I left with her, got away fourth or fifth if I remember correctly. I pulled her coming out of the first turn and went to the top with her, got us down to the half in third. We got around that third turn, I started letting her go, and down the lane she was pretty good from there on.”

But the instant elation one gets from that first victory was put on hold.

“It was very close,” Pfeifer said. “We only won by a head. I really didn’t realize I won. We had to wait because it was that close. I didn’t have that adrenaline pumping. And then when they announced it, I was like ‘Wow!’ I really couldn’t believe I got my first win. I was really pumped.”

Things were different at Piketon, where Clayton could immediately break into a smile crossing the line.

“I knew I had it,” he said. “She opened up going down the lane. I got some adrenaline pumping then. It was very exciting.”

Pfeifer has found the entire business of harness racing exciting ever since kindergarten.

“I jogged my first horse when I was around 5 or 6 and I just kind of fell in love with it then,” he said. “I started out cleaning stalls and had to work my way up from there.”

In remembering his first time jogging, Pfeifer said, “My dad went out there with me and after about two or three laps he got off and said ‘It’s all yours.’ It was one of those kind of things. And it went very good.”

Clayton continued to pay his dues around the barn while also excelling on the diamond. He is a pitcher/infielder for the Waverly High baseball team but had his season cut short last year due to an injury suffered in gym class.

“I was playing in advanced PE class, I fell and tore one of the tendons in my arm,” he said. “I had to have Tommy John surgery. I’ll be back this year. I didn’t miss much last year because of the virus. They shut us all down.”

Pfeifer’s recovery was swift and has not affected his ability to handle the reins.

“It doesn’t bother me anymore,” he said. “At first it did. I was worried about it.”

His first drive came in June.

“I was kind of nervous starting out and all,” Pfeifer said. “After that it was just easy from there. I had the mentality built up where I was like ‘Yeah I got this.’”

What the Pfeifers don’t have are ownership of many horses.

After selling Sheas Kid — a horse they had half a stake in — at the Blooded Horse Sale in Springfield Aug. 25, the Pfeifers own just one horse. Two-year-old filly pacer Rockin Star was bred and raised on their farm and was named by Clayton’s 6-year-old sister, Brynlee.

“They’re not sure where that came from,” Clayton said with a laugh. “They were trying to figure out a name. My sister came up one day and said, ‘Let’s name her Rockin Star.’ We just stuck with that name.”

Unfortunately, the horse has been shut down due to health issues.

“She was in the second leg of the (Buckeye) stallion series, and she tied up on us,” Pfeifer said. “We just quit with her for the year. Her blood work never came back any good after that.”

Pfeifer’s days are pretty jam packed. After school (and during the summer) he mows lawns to make money, then heads to the stable in the evening. When he gets time, Clayton heads to his girlfriend’s, Chloe Case, to ride her quarter horses. He feels it’s a nice change being on a horse instead of behind one.

“I get a taste of both of them,” he said. “But I’ll never go with Thoroughbreds. I’m with the Standardbreds all the way.”

Dustin, whose full-time job is with the Ohio Department of Transportation, mostly just trains now but will drive on the rare occasions Clayton is unavailable. Although he never dove headlong into the business, he emboldens his son’s dream.

“He encourages it,” Pfeifer said. “If I could go on and do it for a living, he says do it. He’s all for me.”

And just what is it about harness racing that casts its spell over the teen?

“I’m telling you,” he said, “when I get out there and that adrenaline starts pumping and you know you got that chance to win, I just love it.”

So much so, that he’s willing to go where no family member has gone before him.