It is possible to pin most people in the world with a tag describing their main place in life; Dexter Dunn is a driver, Ron Burke is a Hall of Fame trainer. When it comes to Peter Kleinhans, one tag just won't do. Putting aside his law degree, singer/songwriter acumen and work in real estate, Kleinhans has played a prominent role in harness racing as an announcer, on-air host, trainer and even amateur driver. The 60-year-old with varying interests is now adding benefactor in a way as he'll be putting up $50,000 of his own money starting this Friday at the Meadowlands to seed a new Pick 8 pool. Kleinhans took some time from his busy home and work life to discuss the wager, his journey in the sport and much more. Enjoy!   How did you get started in harness racing? That's a tricky question because my first time to the track, I was 6. It was the Thoroughbreds at Belmont, and I was absolutely hooked, even though I thought #2 was the same horse in each race and no 2s were winners that day. But I was obsessed with the announcer, who turned out to be Dave Johnson, who is a wonderful guy and we're now best friends. But harness racing, that was from going to The Meadows near Pittsburgh, where my grandparents lived. You had to be 10, but I remember them sneaking me in when I was 8 and 9. Did you have any family connection to harness racing or did you just catch the bug from a friend, etc.? I had no connection at all. It was all from going that first time, and then begging my grandparents to take me to The Meadows every time I'd visit them. I'd look forward to it more than anything else. I remember hitting the 2-6 exacta in the first race at The Meadows one of those times and feeling like I was going to come out of my skin. You've walked away from the industry in the past to pursue other interests. What always brings you back to harness racing? Just love for the game. I can't explain it. After announcing at Hoosier Park from 1995-1998 – a job I absolutely loved – I felt I had to give something back to my family, which is in the real estate business. Our main attorney was 74 years old, so I felt if I went to law school I could learn to take on that role eventually. I interned with them the first summer after law school, and it became clear that our attorney had no intention of retiring...so when I finished law school, I figured I'd take a real shot training at the Meadowlands. I had a great run there between 2002 and 2010 and only stopped when they closed the barn area and there was nowhere close enough to my family to keep training. But I've always stayed involved in one way or another because I love it so much. Owner, trainer, driver, track announcer, on-air contributor - which is your favorite role in harness racing? It's a lame answer, but I love them all. When I'm training, I love training. When I'm driving, it's the only thing in the world to me. Whenever I'm not announcing or doing the analysis, I think 'I should be announcing or doing the analysis.' I can't get enough of any of the roles. Which role do you think you do best? I'd have to say the combination of announcing and analyzing. I think I'm a good trainer, but I'm not Ron Burke. I'm happy with my driving but I'm not Dexter Dunn. But put me in the announcer's booth or guest handicapper role and I'll gladly take on all comers. That's why I love my role as announcer and analyst at Oak Grove, where I work with Ray Cotolo. We make a great team. I'm very proud of my work there. You live in the New York/New Jersey area but took the job as the announcer at Oak Grove in Kentucky. What went into that decision? Was it tough with a newborn son? The first year I took the job was 2024 and my son hadn't been born yet. It was a lot of flying back and forth - every week – but I really enjoyed it. In 2025 it was definitely harder to have to leave the baby for the Monday and Tuesday, and the flying (and the delays!) were crazy. But this year, my son is older, we have child care in place, and I'll be staying down there most of the time, and even training a few horses. I can't wait. I'm a very hands-on dad, though, so I'll still be flying back and forth – just every two weeks instead of every week. I have no regrets. Oak Grove is a wonderful place to work, and one of the few tracks where you feel a positive momentum.  They've added a couple major stakes races this year that I think will really help put it on the map. Amateur driving has also been a passion of yours. What do you think it brings to the sport? It gives a chance for guys like me, who are never going to make driving our entire lives, the chance to compete. 2024 was my best year ever – obviously, the more you drive, the sharper you're going to be. Some year when my son is a little older, I'd love to drive around to where all the different clubs are and take a real shot at having a great season.  Whether as a driver or fan, what is your favorite track to visit? Why? I still have to say the Meadowlands. It's not like the nights of 25,000 people at the old grandstand anymore, but I still think the style of racing is the best anywhere. What is your favorite big event in racing? Why? I had the good fortune to compete in the Elitlopp in Stockholm, Sweden – three years in-a-row with Enough Talk – and I just loved it there. I went back just to visit and for the race for a few years afterwards. I'd love to go again. Did the experience with Enough Talk – racing in the Elitlopp, being the first trotter to break 1:50 – make your training career feel more fulfilled? Absolutely.  I saw one race of his and was instantly obsessed. After taking over his training and learning about him, I saw that he really responded to interval training. Seeing him step up and put in one good performance after another was incredibly gratifying. And, as corny as it might sound, holding the American flag in front of the Swedish crowd was thrilling. Seeing him finish third in the final in 2008 was an incredible feeling. When he broke 1:50, I wasn't even surprised because he had gotten so good. I still think he should get a look for the Hall of Fame, but I don't really know how that works. What is your favorite thing to do outside of harness racing? First, I'd have to just say spending time with my wife [Ivy] and family. We're practically inseparable, and raising our baby together has been great. I have two older kids as well and I value our conversations immensely. On my own, I enjoy analyzing economics, philosophy, politics, and all sorts of intellectually-stimulating things, and I use what I find in my personal investing. I'm also a Mets fan waiting for one more iteration of 1969 and 1986. Right now, I'm fascinated – as many people are – with AI, and over the last year I've really enjoyed interacting with it. And I love writing music, especially story-type songs that connect to real people and real emotions. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don't know? Probably that as a singer-songwriter, I have three published albums and am currently at work on a fourth. And that I perform regularly for a small but loyal following. I'll be at The Bitter End in New York on March 11 – my band is a great group of musicians; we only perform for an hour, but everyone seems to enjoy it! What is one word that describes harness racing for you? Home. What was your best moment in harness racing? When my first horse - Flip Collins, who I had bought after he bowed a tendon the year before, made it back to the races after babying him along – won the final race ever at Lake Shore Meadows. A $1,500 claimer with an $800 purse. You are an investor in the Meadowlands. Why did you get involved? Are you always happy with the direction taken by management? Do you get any say? As I said, the Meadowlands is like a second home to me; of course I wanted to be involved. As far as management, I don't second-guess. Managing a track is hard and I don't envy anyone having to make decisions – some of which are inevitably going to annoy some people. Along those lines, you are introducing a $50,000 seeded $1 Pick 8 wager at the Meadowlands starting February 6. What made you decide to put in $50,000 of your own money? It's something I've always hoped a track would do. Honestly it would have been a lot better 20 years ago. But no one seemed to want to do it, and it's better late than never. I'm willing to risk some of my money rather than spend the rest of my life wondering if it would have caught on.  Maybe it will; maybe it won't. But it's a great bet. I'm hoping for a million dollar carryover one of these times. Let's say it gets hit a couple of weeks in, how many times are you prepared to pony up $50,000 to kick-start the pool? Four. That's the deal I made. It would be an absolute nightmare for me if it got hit right away four times in-a-row. I'm praying that doesn't happen! What determines whether the bet is a success or a failure? I'd say if it develops a BUZZ. That's what's missing in racing these days. Something where people come to the track saying, 'I'm going to hit this tonight,' discuss it with their friends and have some real excitement with it. What would really mark success to me is if the carryovers got big enough that they drew some big Thoroughbred players in. If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be? I'd have it focus on the horseplayers and make them stars, the way poker did. I did a pilot with the late Dave Brower back in 2004 of the 'World Handicapping Challenge,' that would have been handicapping's equivalent of the World Poker Tour. I think it might have worked, but no one wanted to take a shot with it. Everyone likes to see their name on TV and I think every night at the track could be framed as a mini-tournament with a chance to get 15 minutes of fame...and the best players could have been household names, the way poker fans all know Daniel Negreanu. I think the window has probably closed for that now, though. How do you view the future of harness racing? I wish I were more optimistic about it. Being dependent on other forms of gambling can work for a while, and it's great what these deals have done for purses in a lot of places. But what I loved about the sport growing up, the buzz in the grandstand at the Meadowlands, Roosevelt, and Yonkers, I doubt we'll ever see that again. But hey, I'm trying with this bet to bring a little of that feeling back! Time for the stretch drive… Best Horse you ever saw: Somebeachsomewhere. Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad. Trotters or Pacers: Trotters to train, pacers to drive and to bet.