by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — If there is one thing Evan Hoagland possesses, it’s discipline. He probably wouldn’t be embarking on a career as a driver without it. Or, he probably wouldn’t have a degree in business.

But he has both, because he was able to grind it out to the max over the past few years.

Known as either “Hoagy” or “Little Hog” (brother Connor is “Big Hog”), Evan would drive evening races at Saratoga, then make the 90-minute drive back to Castleton (VT) University. He would complete his homework before bed, then arise at 5 a.m. for practice with the Spartans Division III football team, for which he played running back.

He was a man committed to getting a degree just as something to fall back on, and also dedicated to a Standardbred driving career. He had the wherewithal to get both, but is not sure what gave him such focus and continence.

“I don’t really know, I guess I just did it,” the 21-year-old Hoagland said. “It was long and arduous. But it definitely gave me some discipline, that’s for sure. I’ve always been pretty good at being disciplined, I put that a lot on my father and brother; they made me the man I am today.”

Evan said that Connor, who’s 4-1/2 years his senior, served as a mentor. His dad, John, set an example of a “work ethic that was second to none,” by running a successful insurance business.

“He had a pretty nice job with Safeco and turned the rest of his career down because they wanted to move him to Seattle,” said Hoagland, who hails from Whitehall, N.Y. “He started out a business on his own in 2001 and built it up from nothing. I’ve taken a lot of pride in trying to follow the footsteps of my dad and my brother. That’s probably the biggest thing in terms of going back and forth (from Saratoga to Castleton) and trying to manage everything that was going on.”

Melissa Simser-Iovino photo

Evan Hoagland earned his first pari-mutuel win on July 9 at Saratoga in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series with Tapit.

All the hard work is starting to pay off, as he earned his first pari-mutuel win on July 9 at Saratoga in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series. Driving a mare that he owns and trains, Little Hog guided Tapit to a first-place time of 1:58.2 after starting as second choice from the four-hole in the eight-horse event.

Hoagland found room along the pylons in third position before the field trotted by the first panel in a swift :27.4.

“As soon as the gates opened, I knew I was going to have to do a first up,” he said. “There was a horse that did :27 and change off the gate and he doesn’t come home great if he does that. I knew I was going to be all right.”

As the field headed to the halfway point, Hoagland moved his mare first-up and gained the lead at the three-quarter mark.

“I had to get her out moving,” he said. “She likes to chase a horse more often than not. I knew when I was hitting third and coming first up, that hopefully the horse (on the lead) would come back to me and he did. And she went right on by and never stopped going. At the top of the stretch I knew we were going to get it done. I was opening up and when she gets her legs she keeps fighting and doesn’t let anybody pass her.”

Hoagland was happy, not only to get the win, but to do it with that particular mare.

“We’ve had her for probably three years now,” he said. “She’s my favorite horse I’ve ever had and probably ever will. She’s just a sweetheart, you can do whatever you want with her. I was hitting the board with her, getting second, third, second, third. Finally it all worked out. It felt pretty good, pretty validating.

“And I can’t get rid of her,” he added with a laugh. “It’s my girlfriend’s daughter’s favorite horse, so I’d hear it from all sides if I didn’t keep her.”

Hoagland has gotten a win at Plainridge since then and also hit the board on numerous occasions as he tries to make a name for himself while teaming up with his brother and father.

John Hoagland was never a trainer as his business kept him too busy. But he and his brother Jason owned horses with fellow Whitehall resident Richard Smith.

“My father always loved the horses,” Evan said. “Any free time we had when I was young, me, my dad, my brother; we’d be out at the barn. He never could do it fulltime but always loved the horses, taught me everything he could. I picked it up here and there.”

Once Evan got to high school, however, sports took over as he played football, basketball and baseball. He was also pretty busy in the classroom. Upon graduating in 2014, Hoagland had already earned nearly two years of college credits from SUPA (Syracuse University Private Advance) courses — discounted college courses that earn college credits.

Thus, when torn ligaments in his foot marked the end of his football career as a junior, Hoagland graduated in 2017, after just three years, with his business degree.

“I was never really a business type,” he said. “I just did it because you could always use a business degree. But I’m not suited for a desk, I’ve got to be moving around, use my hands. I talked to my father, I said I have a chance to do the horses, we had three or four at that time, why don’t we do that.”

By then, he had already started driving. John had strayed from the stables for a while but the love was too strong and he returned while Evan was in college. That is what led to Hoagland’s breakneck schedule from driving races, to football, to the classroom and back. The father and two sons had opened Hoagland Racing LLC, which currently has four horses.

“We’ll pick out horses and are always on the lookout for something cheap here and there,” Hoagland said. “We can’t pay too much money. Our best horse we paid a few grand for and she’s made umpteen times that.”

The family began working with trainer Kyle Spagnola at a stable in Stillwater, N.Y., which is now a facility being used for the Saratoga Horse Show.

Evan got invaluable experience working in Spagnola’s barn, as he took care of a few horses but mostly jogged and trained, which he enjoyed. Evan got his qualifying/fair license in 2015 and drove a large amount of fairs and qualifiers in 2016. He got his training license and provisional driving license this past year and is now on the lookout for any drives he can get.

“I’ve been driving as many races as I can, but it’s tough,” he said. “In Saratoga they have a rule for P drivers, no nine-horse fields or the second tier. So it’s tough because a lot of these races are nine-horse fields, especially the ones I drive in that class. I take as many drives as I can. Any time I can get out there and learn for myself, it’s an excellent opportunity.”

He also has no aversion to learning from others.

“Any help I can get I love it and anybody that I’ve been around has usually been pretty good about helping me,” Hoagland said. “They’re giving me tips here and there and telling me anything I ask. But some things you’ve got to learn by yourself, especially the driving. That’s the fun part for me, just being out there. I can learn tons from the top drivers, and that’s great. But just getting out there, going behind the gate and going around, that’s a great learning tool.”

And he feels that driving would be a great career if it works out.

“I just enjoy it,” he said. “Our family loves it, they love seeing me drive so I figured ‘Well I have a really good opportunity to be around these horses the rest of my life and I love it.’ I think I’m going all right with what I’ve got now. I’m learning every day, that’s the greatest thing of all. The guys who have been around the business for 60 years and never stopped learning. I’ve been around it only a handful of years and only started driving the last two or three years.”

Hoagland also competed in power lifting with his brother, and Evan actually set U.S. records in his weight class and division for squat, bench and dead lift. He feels his athletic prowess and strength come in handy in the bike.

“The horses are all stronger than you are,” he said. “So it definitely helps being able to hold them and calm them down.”

Hoagy enjoys working with the horses as much as he likes driving them, and feels that will never change no matter how his career advances. He has four wins to his credit as a trainer.

“I love being with them and jogging them,” he said. “Just say I do get hundreds or thousands of drives a year, I would still try to be around it every morning. I like getting up, go walking around the barn and seeing the horses’ heads pop in the shedrow.”