Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — The Dedrick “Dee” Sanders story is a kind of feel-good narrative that people love.

It features:

A hungry, affable young driver with not a lot to start with; who has taken full advantage of the generous help he has received.

A single mom who did everything in her power to make sure her son got his shot.

A group of good folks within the harness racing industry happy to lend their assistance.

And, of course, a couple of young, supportive family members who are Dee’s biggest fans but who also are always happy to tell him what he’s doing wrong.

Add it all up and it’s an inspiring tale of a Mississippi product who is progressing nicely in the sulky.

Dee Sanders with his trophy after winning the 2019 HHYF exhibition race at the Meadowlands. Amanda Fortune photo.

In his first seven races this year, Sanders had three wins, two seconds and one third. Most of that work came while winning Ohio’s Terry Holton Youth Driving Series, which is open to drivers ages 16-21 with a Q/F license. Dee had three firsts and two seconds in the series, and won the Oct. 8 final driving Larry Karr at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.

“It really means a lot,” the good-natured 20-year-old said. “I had the trip (in the final) already planned out. I knew I could finish second (and still win the series) and I won the race. I just went to the gate slow then did what I said I was gonna do — try to get a two-hole trip behind the one horse. I already drove the one horse (Blazen River N). I knew what he was gonna do.”

Sanders drove Larry Karr and Blazen River N twice in the series and Chief Mate once. All three are trained by Todd Luther, who Dee has worked for since January.

And as joyous as Sanders is, his mom is even happier for her son’s success, along with the new sense of purpose it gave her.

Dee Sanders won Ohio’s Terry Holton Youth Driving Series final with Larry Karr at Hollywood Dayton Raceway. Conrad photo.

“I’m just so excited,” Amanda Fortune said. “He’s a small Mississippi boy and he’s doing some big things now. I am so proud. Dedrick has paved the way, and I found myself a better job. I figured if my son could do it, so could I. I’m gonna be a senior (human resources) partner at a company in Alabama.”

Her previous job was at a chicken plant in Mississippi, which paid less but she managed to scrape up enough to allow Dee to pursue his aspirations.

The dream started at age 9 when his uncle, Adrian Fortune, owned some Standardbreds.

“He had a horse, Alabama Howard,” Sanders said. “Then he bought babies with (trainer) Terry Skinner and it just took off from there. He put me in the bike and I fell in love with it. Another guy was a big help too, his name was Calvin Harris (who passed away several years ago).”

When Adrian Fortune, who is Amanda’s brother, went to Chicago, Dee helped tend to the horses and began researching Standardbreds.

“He would make sure they were fed and he would jog them, without pay,” Amanda said. “In 2019, I saw that he started loving harness racing, I began researching it myself.”

During that time, Dee was working at Kentucky’s Red Mile with Skinner, who had heard about Sanders from his uncle and asked Dee to come work with him.

“Terry Skinner had a big impact on his life,” Amanda said. “His father was incarcerated, so his father figures were Terry Skinner and my brother.”

Dee agreed, saying, “They mean a lot. They always keep me on my toes, keep me with a straight head. I talk to Terry regularly, just about every week.”

Meanwhile, Amanda’s research led her to Ellen Taylor, Executive Director of the Harness Horse Youth Foundation. The HHYF offers camps in Goshen, N.Y., for kids interested in harness racing, and then allows them to race with a driver at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day.

After talking to Taylor about the HHYF, Amanda saved enough money to fly Sanders to New York City. She and her other three children made the 18-hour drive from Walnut Grove, Miss., to pick up Dee at LaGuardia Airport and drive him to Goshen and then to the Meadowlands.

“We met Miss Ellen and from there, the networking didn’t stop and he met some famous people,” Amanda said. “We stayed there for seven days. I didn’t have a lot of money but I wanted to make this happen for him. And he had some sponsors (Taylor and Brandon Bates) and they laid everything out. I didn’t have to pay for my hotel room or buy anything. It was an experience. I still have the tickets from there and everything else they gave me.”

The climax came on Hambo Day 2019, when Sanders got to drive with Tim Tetrick. Dee and the Hall of Famer drove to victory in their race. Chris Tully photo.

The climax came on Hambo Day 2019, when Sanders got to drive with Tim Tetrick, who he respects and who is his younger brother Dylan’s favorite driver. Dee and the Hall of Famer drove to victory in their race.

“Tim’s a good driver,” Sanders said. “I was fairly ecstatic.”

Just fairly?

“Well, I was ecstatic,” he added with a laugh. “Driving with Tim Tetrick was great. I still remember that day, he was in the first race with a horse named Backstreet Shadow. He told me he was gonna win the race before it even happened. And he won and went like, (1:)47.”

Flash forward a few years. Sanders was working at the same chicken plant as his mom and decided to further his education. He enrolled at Blue Grass Community & Technical College in Kentucky and knew it wasn’t for him. So did Amanda, who told her son “You need to decide what you’re gonna do for your future. Whatever you decide, you need to do it because you love it. If you do something you love, it will never be a job for you.”

Thankfully for Dee, his mom was not hung up on a college degree.

“I was very happy she gave me that option,” he said. “I really didn’t think I was gonna make it in college. It really didn’t turn a light on in my head and interest me.”

Dee Sanders, Tim Tetrick, and Dee’s brother Dylan. Amanda Fortune photo.

He knew exactly what interested him and began to do some deep dive research on being a trainer and driver. The recent high school graduate crafted a resume and put it on Facebook. Todd Luther was impressed by what he saw and asked Dee to come to Ohio for a chat.

Amanda packed up a U-Haul, brought Dee’s possessions to the Buckeye State and he was hired immediately.

“I knew it was meant to be when he got his apartment with no problem,” she said. “His girlfriend’s mom was able to get everything for them dirt cheap. We moved him to South Bloomfield and he’s been thriving ever since. He has an outstanding boss. He’s made great friends, he’s been networking. I’ve traveled to Ohio several times to watch him race.”

Sanders is working for Luther at Virgil Morgan Jr.’s Winner Circle Training Center, located just south of Columbus.

“I just go around, jog, ride, train; if I want to paddock, I paddock, if I want to warm up, I warm up,” Dee said. “I just help out here or there, if a groom is out we take care of her horses, we put horses away. We’re breaking babies, everybody is pitching in taking a baby or two. It’s my first year actually dealing with babies. I’m out there with one, I’m hitting a line drive. Just pitching in.”

Sanders’ main goal is to be a driver but he would also like to train. The young student of the industry could not be happier about the man he works for. Not to mention Luther’s brother Greg, who owns the horses.

“Todd has had a very big impact on me,” Dee said. “He keeps my eyes open and gives me hope that I can make it in the industry and be a driver. These opportunities don’t come along very often. I’m getting to drive these types of horses that young guys my age don’t get the opportunity this early. It’s been a blessing. I’m making the most of it. And Greg Luther, he’s smart too and he helps.”

Along with the Luther brothers; Sanders’ little brother Dylan and his cousin Dekerrian “Quan” Fortune are always happy to lend their “advice.”

“My brother wants to be involved because his big brother is in it,” Dee said. “He finishes high school this year so in the future hopefully we’ll work together. Him and my cousin, they’re like my coaches. They’ll tell me how they could have done better. They’re like the sideline drivers. If I do something wrong they’ll say ‘If I was out there I would have done this.’

“You know how people are,” he added with a chuckle.

Oh yes, people can drive other people nuts, but only because they care. And no one cares more about Sanders’ career than his mom, who has done everything possible to aid his dreams.

“She’s been a very big part of it all,” he said before echoing Amanda’s comments. “It started at the HHYF program and took off from there. It’s been great. If you really love the game it ain’t a job. I like the thrill and I like seeing horses develop and I like having swag out there. I like looking good too.

“Being this young I’m very happy with where I’ve been and where it’s gotten me. Not many people get this far this young. Hopefully I can continue this and be a pari-mutuel driver soon and make some real money and support everybody in the family.”

It would be his way of paying back all the support he has received so far. Then again, a hard-working, good-hearted soul like Sanders makes people just naturally want to help.