by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Trenton, NJ — Six years ago, Tyler Smith was quoted as saying, “Someday I’d like to be like John Campbell.”

He was 12, and sounded like a young man in a hurry to be great.

He has learned in recent months that patience is a key to success.

At the urging of his father, trainer Jeff Smith, Tyler left his comfort zone in Ohio and headed for Indiana in April.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

A youthful Tyler Smith gets an autograph from Hall of Fame driver John Campbell.

The Washington Court House native had made his mark in his home state, earning the Peter Haughton Memorial Award as the young Ohioan who is an up-and-coming star among harness horsemen. Upon his arrival in the Hoosier state, the 18-year-old was nurtured by some of the sport’s big names and has had an outstanding year.

“My dad is the reason I’m where I’m at now,” Tyler said. “If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I’m at. He’s helped me from the beginning, and he sent me out to Indiana with seven horses.

“Not many dads would send an 18-year-old that’s just starting out, out here on their own. But he had confidence in me.”

Smith is re-paying that confidence, winning 116 races and $942,460 in purses in his first full season as a driver. In September he has driven in 13 races worth more than $100,000, primarily Kentucky and Indiana sire stakes finals.

In recent weeks, Smith has spent his time driving at Indiana Downs and The Red Mile, in Lexington, although he did return to Ohio last week to race at the Delaware County Fair.

Smith entered the week fourth in wins among drivers at The Red Mile. He was seventh at Indiana Downs and finished 10th at Hoosier Park. The 24 wins he picked up at Ohio’s Northfield Park prior to hitting the road in April still ranks 16th at that track.

“It’s been great, I couldn’t ask for a better year,” Smith said. “I’m so glad my dad made me go to Indiana. I thought it would be too tough for me here and it turned out to be the best decision I ever made.

“I’m here with a good group of drivers, and the money’s good here. I’m driving good horses. Out here, with the rule like it is, there’s no one-handing (whipping). It taught me how to drive a horse. It was just a good decision.”

The youngster added that while it could have been intimidating at the start, he was accepted by the veterans.

Nigel Soult photo

At the age of 18, Tyler Smith has piloted 116 horses to the winner’s circle.

“It was tough, but those guys took me in, they were there for me,” Smith said. “They were doing what they had to do to win, but they were helping me out, too. Guys like Peter Wrenn, Dave Magee, (Trace) Tetrick, all those guys. They were there for me. It wasn’t like they were just trying to push me away.”

They have helped Smith in all aspects of the sport, but he says that the biggest thing he has learned is to take it easy.

“Out here, patience is a big thing,” he said. “It’s different on the (half-mile tracks). You want to be up close on halves, but here you need to be patient. That’s what took me the longest to transfer over. When I was in Cleveland (at Northfield Park) I was leaving with everything, being first up and stuff like that.

“Out here in Indy (on a mile track) you don’t have to do it. Patience is what took me forever to get, but I’ve got it now.”

Smith had a chance to race in Lexington on Friday, driving Fusion Man for his father in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old male trotters, but decided to stay in Indiana on Friday and Saturday, saying “my home is in Indy now.” He will be at The Red Mile on Sunday.

“I hate leaving now that I finally got fitted in here,” he said. “I’m driving around nine or 10 a night. And especially with these types of drivers; Dave Magee and Peter Wrenn win races by accident.”

Any success Smith has had is no accident.

He has worked with his family’s horses since age 2. At 12 he became the youngest male driver in harness racing history to record a sub-2:00 race, driving Look Lilly to victory in 1:59.1 in a matinee at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

He already has a history few 18-year-olds can claim, but he doesn’t mind looking to the future.

“I’m just taking it little by little by little,” he said. “I was thinking about going out east this winter but I’m thinking, ‘I’m only 18, I’ll stick around home this year.’ But the next couple of years I want to transfer out east and see if I can make it out there.”

And while he is not quite in Hall of Famer John Campbell’s class yet, Smith is making steady progress toward making himself a big name in harness racing.

“I feel like I’m heading in that direction,” he said. “I’ve still got a lot to learn, I’m learning every day but I feel like I’ve got a good start.

“When I first started out in Cleveland I never thought I’d be where I am now.”

All it took was talent. And a little patience.