Meadowlands: British driver Inglis to make U.S. debut Friday

Ryan Inglis is a rising star in the United Kingdom.

This week, he is over the moon.

Inglis, a native of Scotland who turned 23 on Feb. 5, will make his U.S. driving debut in a GSY Series amateur race Friday at the Meadowlands. Inglis is a multiple recipient of the Young Driver of the Year Award from the Scottish Harness Racing Club and also was honored for his driving prowess by the British Harness Racing Club earlier this month.

"To drive at the Meadowlands, it's the best track in the world, as everybody would tell you," Inglis said. "To get this opportunity is pretty amazing. I'm over the moon."

Inglis, who has been visiting the U.S. for several weeks, is a third-generation horseman. He started driving in 2018 and has seen his opportunities increase the past two years, winning 33 of 197 starts - a nearly 17 percent clip - since the beginning of 2021.

A season in the U.K. runs from May through mid-October, with racing taking place Saturdays and Sundays. Most races are held on turf courses.

"I've always been around horses, always went to the race meetings back home," Inglis said. "It's just one of those things that's in your blood. I've never really been away from the sport. As I got older, I started to know people and got involved in training and owning.

"It's more of a hobby back home. Most people have full-time jobs 9 to 5 and then go home and jog their horses. It's small purses that you race for. People do it because they love it."

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Driving is what Inglis most enjoys about the sport

"The buzz you get from winning races, I just love it," he said. "It's been that way since I started driving. That's what I always wanted to do."

Inglis will drive in Friday's first race, a $12,500 pace with a full field of 10. He will start from post one with Pointsman, trained by Edwin Quevedo. They are 10-1 on the morning line.

"There will probably be some nerves, but pretty much just excitement," Inglis said. "I'm going to take it all in. People back home didn't think I would get the chance (to drive at the Meadowlands). It's really amazing."

Inglis hopes to pick up several more drives in the States before returning to Scotland next month.

"I'm going back home in a couple weeks to drive the season there and then come back (to the U.S.) at the end of October," Inglis said. "That's the plan for this year, anyway. Who knows, maybe down the line it will be a case of seeing about coming over here permanently if things go the way I would like them to go."

Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EST) at the Meadowlands.