Harness: Best driving colony in racing history?

We can argue ad nauseam the value of the driver in the harness racing ecosystem. Whoever you choose as the best in North America, is he markedly better than the 10th best person on the list?

From time to time, we get to see all of the best drivers converge at one track. Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands is one of those brief moments in time when many of the top sulky-sitters will be on hand driving for one day of racing.

Recently, we've seen changes in the driving colony at The Meadowlands brought on by the circumstances of COVID-19. With Pocono racing in the afternoons on Saturday and Yonkers off the radar on the weekends through at least July 10, the talent in the bike at The Meadowlands has reached perhaps historic heights.

A quick check of the Top 15 list in driver earnings from 2019 shows that an amazing 12 have been competing at The Meadowlands at least semi-regularly. This dozen, at least statistically, forms perhaps the best driving colony in the history of the sport.

In Tim Tetrick, Brian Sears and David Miller, The Meadowlands has three Hall of Fame drivers with more than 34,000 career wins and just shy of $660 million in purse earnings accumulated by horses under their guidance. The trio rank second, third and fifth in all-time earnings. That alone places the current drivers racing in northern New Jersey among the John Campbell, Ron Pierce, Mike Lachance and Cat Manzi days in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Of course, a couple of decades ago the now-retired quartet above were joined by up-and-comers Miller, Sears, George Brennan, and others. That was quite a crew!

Right now, The Meadowlands driving talent level has climbed to the same heights as 20 years ago and perhaps even higher. How is that even possible? In addition to the three names above, the track has Yannick Gingras, who ranks seventh all-time in earnings and is a lock to enter the Hall of Fame. It also has potential candidates in the aforementioned Brennan, Andy Miller and Jason Bartlett. Plus there are imports Dexter Dunn and Andrew McCarthy, who appear on the right path to inclusion one day, and other young-guns like Scott Zeron and Jordan Stratton. Oh, and let's not forgot Corey Callahan and Mark MacDonald, who have both won more than 6,000 career races.

"I think the driving colony right now is as strong as ever," said Campbell. "I'm a firm believer that the top drivers from any era would make the adjustment and be competitive in any style of racing. Obviously, our style of racing has changed dramatically from the 1950s-to-1970s, and certainly into the 1980s and 1990s, but the top guys are the top guys for a reason. Having said that, I think the driving pool in North America is much deeper than it was in the 1980s or 1990s. There are more people that specialize in driving and are good at it."

When comparing generations, Campbell also pointed out that the strength of the driving colony at The Meadowlands years ago was also spurred on by circumstance. "The Meadowlands was where all the money was for all those years," said Campbell. "Because the money is so well dispersed throughout North America, there are lots of talented guys now who have no inclination to come to The Meadowlands because they are making extremely good money where they are at. The fact that we all ended up there wasn't a coincidence."

Perhaps nothing illustrates the depth of the driving ranks at The Meadowlands right now than the shocking 3-for-75 record of Sears and Brennan at the meet. When you add in a 1-for-58 record for two more talented drivers - Matt Kakaley and Jim Marohn, Jr - it becomes very clear that wins aren't easy to come by right now.

"It is a competitive field of drivers. You see some talented drivers who are racing just two or three horses a night when in the past they would have a full card," said Campbell.

In the defense of the winless, the guys at the top of the standings are far and away getting the most "power" for the top barns. Given the same horses as leading driver Tim Tetrick (18 wins), there is little doubt that any of the men above wouldn't be riding anything near a doughnut in the win column.

History will determine whether the current group of drivers is truly the best-ever at one track for a period of time. For now, we can watch and enjoy some of the most skilled reinsmen in history compete.