by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Quietly Anne Wheeler keeps on winning races.

On Monday, April 14, at Monticello Raceway the career horsewoman reined Speedy Big Bull to victory number 816 of her career.

Racehorsephoto.com photo

Anne Wheeler’s victory with Speedy Big Bull was the 816th of her career.

Wheeler, who was driving in harness races long before the Mildred Williams Series made it fashionable, has always been a fierce competitor whenever she sat in the sulky.

But since the inception of the Mildred Williams Series, the year-long series of races for women drivers, it has not only fostered the ambitions of many but it also has made the harness racing world aware of the talents of the gentler sex.

When names of talented women drivers are casually discussed those that are recalled immediately are Bea Farber, Jacquie Ingrassia, Betsy Phillips, Kelly Case, Linda MacDonald, and Brooke Nickells and it seems that Anne Wheeler usually gets overlooked.

Perhaps a lack of deserved recognition comes from Wheeler’s reluctance for publicity.

Contacted in the paddock after she reined Speedy Big Bull to victory she, as usual, was somewhat reluctant to talk about her career but she did say, “I’ve been racing horses it seems like forever,” when asked how long she has been driving harness horses.

Wheeler has always called Vernon Downs her home track. She lives in Edmeston, which is only a hard stone’s throw from the oval where Wheeler reined most of her winners. However, in recent years she has been racing regularly at the Mighty M.

Wheeler and her long time associate Dr. Robert “Doc” Keller have been a racing team for decades and together they co-own all of the stock that Wheeler races including Speedy Big Bull, whom she reined to a 2:03.4 victory, and Speeding Rosie, who finished second for her earlier on the April 14 card.

Driving only her own stock, Wheeler’s best year, arguably, was 1994 when she won 44 races in 292 starts and had a .287 UDR with $153,000 in purses. Her stats during 1978, when she drove 40 winners in 167 starts and finished with a .379 UDR, could certainly rival her 1994 output.

Over the past few seasons her annual amount of drives have diminished — only 186 over the last three years.

Still, during the 2004 season, Wheeler and Keller’s Speedy Rattle won 11 times in 16 starts, all with Wheeler at the controls, and was named “Older Trotter of the Year” at Monticello Raceway.

When asked why she doesn’t compete in the Mildred Williams Series she stated that during this time in her career she doesn’t drive pacers.

However, the Keller-Wheeler connection owns some pacers, but when they race at Monticello Raceway their longtime friend John Gilmour does the driving.

“We know John from the early years at Vernon Downs and we’ve been good friends for a long time,” Keller said. “And besides, Gilmour doesn’t need anyone to show him how to get around the racetrack.”