Harness: Next generation drivers looking to make their marks

A group of young drivers, including Jack Pelling, Tyler Miller, Brett Beckwith, and Luke Hanners, with deep family ties to the racing industry, are looking to build on some early success they've had while also continuing to grow and learn in their craft.

Pelling, who will turn 26 on April 8 of this year, was born in the United States but then moved to Australia after his father, Brett, departed the industry when the 2005 racing season concluded. Harness racing wasn't really in the picture while he was Down Under, but a key discussion with his dad brought it back to the forefront.

"I was around horses until I was 10, but I really only started driving seriously in about 2019," remarked Jack. "I've been over and working with the horses a bit, but driving specifically, I only really thought about it a couple of years ago. Brett being away from the game for so long, in that whole period of time, I never even thought of harness racing. It's kind of just come about, but I'm pretty happy about it.

"I admitted I wasn't really doing too much after high school, and then Brett kind of came to me and said 'well, you know, if you want, I can get you back over to America and work with the horses, see how you like it.' I said 'yes,' so we went from there."

Driving primarily at Freehold Raceway, Jack has won 20 races from 174 career drives and is off to a good start to 2021, sporting a win clip of 16.6 percent (14-84) and a UDRS of .285 through February 4. The fact he sits sixth in the standings at Freehold so far this meet, trailing the likes of seasoned pros Daniel Dube and George Brennan by only two wins and one victory, respectively, is impressive when you consider he just made his first pari-mutuel start on October 23, 2020, is a "provisional" driver, and didn't get any experience testing the waters in the amateur ranks.

"I'm still learning to be honest," he said. "I've been driving for maybe four months. I'm really trying to figure it out still."

On December 26 of last year and New Year's Day of 2021, the younger Pelling got a chance to pilot the razor-sharp pacing mare Alexa Skye for his dad in the Fillies & Mares Open Handicap at Freehold and took advantage both times, guiding her to eye-catching off-the-pace victories from post eight. While having his dad in his corner is certainly a help, he's gotten chances from other barns, as well.

"It was just a big thrill. I couldn't believe that she was so good at the end there," Jack said of Alexa Skye, who he added is the best horse he's driven so far. "She just kept going for me, and it was great. I definitely didn't feel overly confident the whole time, just coming from the back like that, but it was a big thrill. It was great.

"I have to say, especially right now starting off, John Urbanski was so kind to me early on. He gave me so many drives. I feel like he really helped me put my foot in the door over there. I'll give a shout out to him, for sure."

Last November, Brett Pelling was the subject of the weekly profile Q&A in DRF Harness Digest, and he noted that Jack is built similarly to Dexter Dunn, and that he told his son to watch his style. Jack has taken those words to heart, noting that he speaks to the reigning two-time Driver of the Year.

"I enjoy talking to him. I want to talk to him even more and get closer to him," Jack said of Dunn. "I love watching him, and he's a great example, for sure."

As far as the remainder of 2021, Jack remarked that he's hoping to continue his progression as a driver and maybe catch his dad's eye come stakes time.

"I just want to keep going how I'm going. I feel like I'm coming pretty strong. I just want to get my "A" license. I guess a goal would be to get on one of my dad's horses by the end of the year. Really get on one that has some power," he offered.

Tyler Miller, who turned 23 on January 19, is the son of highly-successful driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller. He also has an uncle in Erv Miller who trains horses at the top of the game, one cousin in Marcus Miller who owns a number of big wins, and another cousin in Hannah Miller who was Amateur Driver of the Year in 2016. Harness racing is definitely in his blood, and he decided to stick with the industry even while pursuing a higher education.

"I've always been around the horses my whole life," said Tyler. "I've gone to the track with my dad since I was a little kid, so it's always been a part of my life.

"When I graduated high school I made the decision to go to school and get a four-year degree in business management from Rider University. I kind of went through different avenues and experienced different dreams at school, and it really came down to it that I wanted to do racing and the horses as my career."

While he now has his full "A" license, Tyler got a significant amount of experience driving in the amateur ranks to start out his driving career, and he says that was a big help in getting his feet wet.

"When I was in school I drove a lot in the amateurs, just to have some fun and to get some experience about doing it," offered Tyler. "There wasn't a lot of pressure attached to it. It was just more of a hobby-type thing rather than going into overnight races or stakes races or something like that."

On June 8, 2018, Tyler won his first pari-mutuel start at the Meadowlands, taking a CKG Billings Amateur race with Lily's Swan Pond. He continued his success at The Big M the next year, winning four additional amateur events. Having that sort of success at the sport's biggest venue is a feather in the cap for any driver, let alone a young one just starting out.

"That was pretty fun. That was actually my first career pari-mutuel start (at the Meadowlands), and it ended up being a winning one, which is even more icing on the cake," recalled Tyler. "There's just so much history, great horses and great horsemen that have traveled over that track. Just to be able to cross the finish line first at such a historic and storied track is something special, especially being the first time I ever went behind the starting gate."

Like Jack Pelling, Tyler primarily drives at Freehold right now, and is hoping to hone his skills with each opportunity, while not necessarily focusing on his numbers.

"There's not really anything from a statistical standpoint. I don't really go out and be like I want to get 1,000 wins or 2,000 wins or make $200,000 this year or something like that," Tyler stated. "It's more just trying to get my name out there more, trying to get more experience, taking something away from every single drive, and learning every single day."

Having a successful set of parents is also the case for 18-year-old driver Brett Beckwith, as his dad, Mark, has racked up 5,802 trips to the winner's circle as a driver, and his mother, Melissa, has trained 1,918 victors. Melissa Beckwith's father, Jerry Silverman, is in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, and her brother Richie has had success both training and driving. Despite that, Brett's early days sort of mirrored Jack Pelling's, as he wasn't necessarily looking for a future in the business.

"It really wasn't at the beginning until I was like 15 or 16. I was kind of just in school going day by day. I would go to the track here and there, but it was never something that completely interested me until I sat behind my first horse in a training mile," stated Brett. "That was when I knew this was definitely something I wanted to try and do at least."

Brett picked up some amateur wins at Saratoga and Yonkers in 2019 and 2020, and then posted his first victory after turning 18 on January 26 of this year at Pompano Park with his mom's Amarettigone. In a bit of happenstance, Brett visited the winner's circle just one race after his dad did.

"It was, I think, my fifth or sixth start since I turned 18, so it happened quicker than I really thought it would," Brett said of his pari-mutuel victory at Pompano. "That one's always going to have a special spot in my heart just because it was my first win. A lot of the horses we have now I love. All of them are unique in their own way, I guess."

While the Beckwiths still have racing to do at Pompano this winter, Brett is already looking forward to heading back north and hopefully getting some attention from other stables.

"When I go back to Saratoga, which is my home, I'd love to slowly pick up work from people other than my parents," he said.

As for Luke Hanners, who is 20 years old, his late father, Brad, once held the record for most wins in a meet at Dover Downs and was also leading driver at Harrington. Brad Hanners, whose father, Alva, was a trainer-driver in Ohio, ended his career with 4,888 victories, and Luke and his brother, Austin, are now both drivers, as are their cousins, Tyler and Trevor Smith. Luke always wanted to be involved in harness racing, but he decided he needed to move his tack from Ohio to East Coast for a better shot.

"That's the only thing I've ever done and wanted to do," Luke remarked about being a part of the industry. "There are more opportunities out here. If you look at Miami Valley, there are like 20 drivers out there, so being young, it wasn't an easy spot to get started out there."

While Pelling, Miller, and Beckwith have just driven in their career, Luke also trains a small number of horses. Even though he said he enjoys it, he noted that his affinity is much more on the driving side of the ledger.

"Training is fun, but it's very aggravating, especially when you can sit behind one for seven minutes instead of looking at them for seven days," he stated.

Luke is another regular at Freehold, but he's also made appearances in the Mid-Atlantic at Rosecroft and Dover, giving him multiple venues to showcase his current skills and develop them further.

"It's been good. Freehold and Rosecroft have been good to me. Dover not so much, but it's tough there," he said. "Freehold and Rosecroft are really nice places, especially for a young person to get started.

"It was pretty nice to get to drive for Scott DiDomenico and Andrew Harris, big-name stables that you get a chance to drive for. There was a horse that I drove for Mike Deters (Hesa Kingslayer N) that ended up being a really nice horse. I won with him in the Open one time, and then he went and paced 1:48 3/5 at the Meadowlands. That was pretty cool."

Currently in a tie for eighth in the Freehold standings so far in 2021, Luke is hoping to use his experience in New Jersey to get him to the Meadowlands when the regulars are out on the Grand Circuit during the summer.

"Everyone's dream would be to make it to the Meadowlands and do well there. Being at Freehold is a good spot to eventually make your way there," he said. "That's probably a goal for the year, but it'd have to be when the big drivers leave for the stakes."

With strong family backing and the desire to do well now and in the future, it's definitely worth watching these "young guns" as the season progresses.