Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — After spending time doing other jobs before his career in racing, Luke Ebersole might appreciate driving Standardbreds a little more than others out there. He almost lives by the saying that “A bad day at the track is better than a good day at work.”

Prior to diving fulltime into harness racing in the mid-2010s, Luke had jobs working in mines and pouring concrete. It was hard work with not a lot to show for it in the end but a paycheck. During one of the two-week layoff periods in the mining job, Ebersole decided he had enough and joined the family business.

Both his grandfathers were owners, and his parents, Jeff and Linda, breed and train horses. After working for his dad a bit, Luke learned more about the sport from a number of other Ohio horsepersons before opening his own stable in 2017. Six years later, it looks like leaving the mines was the best move he ever made.

Sure, he works nonstop driving and training, but it’s because he wants to, not because he’s forced to be there when the 7 a.m. whistle blows.

In 2022, Luke Ebersole enjoyed a career year in driving wins (127) and earnings ($1.25 million). He is part-owner of Cross Country (above), a 7-year-old pacing gelding that has provided some thrills over the years as a stakes horse. JJ Zamaiko photo.

“This is a life, it’s not a job,” Ebersole said. “This life can be whatever you work at it to be. It’s a lot tougher, but it’s more rewarding at the end of the day. You work every day in this business, and I enjoy that a lot more over the other stuff I did.”

It took a while, but his decision is now paying off handsomely.

In 2022, racing predominantly at MGM Northfield Park in Ohio, Ebersole enjoyed a career year in driving wins (127) and earnings ($1.25 million). It was the first triple-digit victory and first million-dollar season since he began driving steadily in 2017.

“I guess, probably, the first week in December is when I realized that could happen,” the 32-year-old Ohio native said. “I thought ‘Man, this is going to be cool, this is my best year yet.’

“Honestly, when I look back at it, I appreciated every opportunity I got last year. I was very thankful.”

It wasn’t what you would call a breakout year since he had 93 wins and $931,793 in earnings in 2021. But the past two years have led to more trainers trusting him with their upper-echelon horses, and have indicated that Luke is becoming a better driver.

“It’s better horses, always, and horses in the right spot help the most,” he said of his improvement. “And honestly, I think a lot of it is patience. Just not trying to force it to happen. Just letting it happen during a race.

“I don’t know that I had difficulty (early in my career), I just didn’t understand pacing. I wanted to do it. Everybody that drives, they want to have a good year and do good in all the races, but you can’t force it. I guess looking back at it and my style of driving, that’s what I can say I’ve improved on the most, is the patience.”

Of his 127 wins last year, 125 came at Northfield, where he finished ninth in the standings. Luke said there were no standout races that were truly memorable. He termed it “just an honest year.”

“I guess any race that Cross Country won was a highlight win,” he added.

Ebersole is part-owner of Cross Country, a 7-year-old pacing gelding that has provided some thrills over the years as a stakes horse. In six years, counting this one, the horse has 25 wins and $286,890 in earnings.

When last season ended, Luke didn’t celebrate his newly achieved milestones, figuring he will have time to do that when he’s retired.

“I didn’t go on vacation,” Ebersole said. “I just stayed right at the grind. I guess it’s kind of like a dog-eat-dog world. I had a good year, so I better just keep it up.”

He seems to be doing just that this year, having won 28 of 214 starts and $210,028. Luke feels the confidence he gained last season, when he won 13 of his 98 starts in December, has carried over into 2023.

“I think it certainly has helped,” he said. “I think the way I ended last year, just carrying the momentum from when I got lucky and started having a little bit of success, I think that’s certainly helped carry into this year. I had a really good last month and it just carried over. That’s pretty cool.”

Ebersole owns pieces of two horses and has a full share of a claimer, Dislocator, he just obtained. He trains six horses in his Mount Vernon stable and drives them all, and naturally considers Cross Country his favorite.

Luke said he might branch out and explore a few other tracks this summer, but is uncertain of that just yet.

“I’m happy staying here at Northfield,” he said. “I might start going to The Meadows and start going to Scioto this summer. That remains to be seen. It all depends on if I can take my horses somewhere. I’d like to just stay here and drive as much as I can but if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll be on the road and try it.”

But if every race is at Northfield, he wouldn’t complain. It is the track where he grew up watching his grandfathers’ and parents’ horses, and it has a special meaning for Luke.

“Yeah, it does, being born in Bedford and raised at the track starting right around the first grade,” he said. “Just thinking about watching the races from the grandstand for the first time in the kitchen and just knowing everybody where I used to watch the races. Now I’m in these races, that’s pretty cool.”

As far as how his career is going, Ebersole is not about to complain.

“I’m just happy to be successful with every opportunity that I get,” he said. “I’m not content; I always want to improve. But I’m happy.”