Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Trae Porter has an interesting take on his breakout season of 2022.

“It was very eventful,” he said, “and I’d say there were definitely a lot of miles put on my truck.”

But they were productive miles, and he didn’t mind refilling the gas tank or putting wear on the tires for what he got in return.

“Exactly,” Trae said. “I was just expecting to get about 50 more wins than the year before. When I got nearly 200, I said, ‘Well I guess I did something right.’”

Did he ever.

Trae Porter won 194 races in 2022 and earned $2.04 million in purses. World Wide Racing/Vicki Wright photo.

In just his second full year of racing, the Delaware resident won 194 races, hitting the board 675 times in 1,777 starts, and earned $2.04 million in purses. He had good success in Maryland, finishing third in wins at Ocean Downs with 55 (trailing leader Russell Foster by 10) and fourth at Rosecroft Raceway with 74.

His triumphs weren’t just overnighters. He drove Goolishness to a Maryland Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old female trotters for trainer Roger Hans and had two wins with Direct Mist, a 2-year-old female pacer trained by Wayne Givens, in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations. He also won a DSBF consolation with Givens-trained Notte’s Mist.

He did all that after a sluggish getaway.

“It really started off slow but then it picked up and I started getting the power that I thought I should be getting,” Porter said. “I worked my way into Rosecroft pretty good, then I started going to (Harrah’s Philadelphia) and I was doing pretty well over there for a couple of guys. I was very fortunate for the horses I got. Especially with Wayne Givens giving me some of his sire stakes horses. They definitely helped in the earning side of things.

“And Brian Emerson and Richard Hans giving me their sire stakes horses. I finally got my first final winner and that was very special, especially to see her get better every week and then going to Rosecroft and doing the same.”

When he looked back on highlights, Trae said, “There’s so many that really meant something to me, even for small reasons. I really can’t put a name on (a favorite).”

He took pride in driving in the DSBF consolation; and obviously winning the Maryland Sire Stakes with Goolishness.

“That was very special,” Porter said. “I had two trotting fillies to choose from. I took the one I thought was the best. She was absolutely terrific that night. Going into the last turn at Ocean Downs, I was holding my breath, I was saying ‘just don’t run, just don’t run.’ I couldn’t hold my breath long enough.

“I was so happy about that. It’s nice to get along with a young horse like that. Especially a young trotting filly, because they’re usually a little bit more tricky. To have them figured out was amazing.”

Porter also won a newly created bragging rights event when he took first in the inaugural Freehold/Rosecroft Driving Challenge in December. The series featured four races at Rosecroft on a Thursday night and four more at Freehold on a Saturday. Four Rosecroft drivers went against four from Freehold, with the outcome based on a points system.

Porter took a huge lead after the first round by winning three Thursday races and finishing seventh in another, giving him 153 points. Despite not finishing higher than fifth in any of his Freehold drives, he held on with 167 points. Foster was second with 157.

“That was more fun because I got to race with all my friends, people I grew up with in Jersey when my grandfather worked for Mr. (Eugene) Landy,” Trae said. “And of course, my friends from Rosecroft. It was all around fun for me.

“I guess you could say a little side challenge was that they had the bike race and stuff like that. It really brought more personality out of everybody. I think that’s what the sport misses.

“I feel the sport needs to make a turn right now where we need to basically have more showmanship with it, I think that’s what people need. With The Meadowlands and the things they do, I think that’s incredible, and a lot of tracks should take notes on that. I think a lot of people would love to have their down-the-street track have the same thing.”

So far this year, Trae Porter has 18 wins and over $230,000 in earnings. Ted Black photo.

Now 21, Porter comes from solid stock. His grandfather is legendary Delaware trainer Jim Porter, whose impact got Trae into the sport.

“He definitely shaped me into the person I am, especially around the horses,” Porter said about his 89-year-old grandfather. “He really taught me a lot, ever since I was a little kid. He still does. He’ll talk to me about something if I’m messing up out there. He’s my biggest critic.

“But he definitely taught me about how to take care of horses, especially out on the racetrack. And he taught me about getting the money on the end of it, definitely not on the front.”

Trae’s dad, the late James Porter, was not in the business for too long but did drive and train for a brief time, and granddad tells Trae stories about him.

Trae got his first win in a race at the Great Pocomoke City Fair in 2015 but did not get serious about driving for several years. He would help his grandfather around the stable and drive on the side. Trae got his first pari-mutuel win in 2019 when he won with Where Art Thou at Ocean Downs. In 2020, he garnered 19 wins in 177 starts, good for nearly $114,000 in earnings.

Then came 2021, when he won 98 times in 1,018 races and earned nearly $785,000 in purses. That was a precursor for last year’s explosion when he practically doubled his wins and almost tripled his earnings.

“With driving I was just basically going around the racetrack trying to figure out what I was doing, kind of dipping my toe in,” Porter said. “(In 2021) I really tried to buckle down, and I guess you could say I figured it out after a while.”

Once again, it was his grandfather’s influence that took hold.

“He said the only way I’m going to get any better, if I want to get better, is to drive more,” Porter said. “So, I said ‘you know what, I’ll do it.’ I’m definitely not regretting it. I love my job every day.”

His success has allowed Trae to build a client list, and he mentioned that Jason Skinner has “helped me out a lot at Rosecroft and at (Harrah’s Philadelphia) with a few. We’ve been pretty solid together.”

So far this year, Porter has 18 wins and over $230,000 in earnings while driving at Rosecroft, Dover Downs, and The Meadowlands.

“I’m trying to do Dover,” he said. “Dover’s a lot tougher than it is anywhere else right now, especially with the horses and such. I feel like it’s been a slow start, but I think if I put my mind to it, I can definitely get the same numbers, if not better, than last year.”

As he looks ahead to this season, Porter plans on sticking around the tracks where he has enjoyed success; but wouldn’t mind giving his GPS a better workout.

“I want to try other places, but I’ve got to keep with what’s been working,” he said. “I would love to be there when all the boys go to the Grand Circuit, go to The Meadowlands. But I don’t think that would work out. I’m definitely going to do (Philadelphia), and Harrington when they open up, Dover’s only got a month left. Definitely Rosecroft. But I would like to work my way up north a little more.”

After all, he has no trouble putting miles on his truck when those trips pay off in hefty returns.