Meadowlands: Herschberger was a perfect 10 last weekend

At the conclusion of racing Friday (Nov. 28) night, Mark Herschberger had joined an exclusive Meadowlands club. He had just won six races on the program, becoming just the third driver in 2025 to win a half-dozen times on a single Big M card.

Apparently not satisfied with being in the same exclusive camp as Yannick Gingras and Jason Bartlett, Herschberger won four races on Saturday’s (Nov. 29) program, to become the first driver in 2025 – not to mention recent memory – to take 10 walks down victory lane during the course of a weekend. And while The Big M has been racing three times a week recently, last week, there were just two programs contested.

On Friday, Herschberger’s winners were Im The Muscle ($12.20 to win, race 3); Miz Captain Cruze ($6, race 4); Rock My Universe ($3.60, race 7); Camlachie Chrome ($6.40, race 11); Parody ($9.40, race 13); and Thaneeya ($17.40, race 14). By guiding the last two winners on the card, Herschberger swept the late double, which returned $85.

The driver offered some insights from his Friday night successes.

“Parody? That’s my father-in-law’s horse,” said Herschberger. “We changed his training a little and thought he’d fight a little more to the wire.

“Thaneeya? I don’t know how many times I’ve landed her in the pocket but things did not go all that great. But she responded to the outside trip even though she’s more of a grinder.

“The track was a bit dead that night. Dead, as in Thaneeya’s race, Joe Bongiornro [driving Sweet Sandy] made a big move late there and drew away for a bit, but the way the track was playing, you couldn’t make huge moves and expect for that speed to carry for you.”

On Saturday, the man in the red and black colors guided Haggard ($7.80, race 2); LMC Peanuts Watchn ($8.80, race 4); Laser Speed ($3, race 5); and Divine Right ($3.40, race 11) to victory.

Herschberger made it clear that not overreacting is part of what helps him win races.

“I try not to force anything,” said Herschberger. “If a horse doesn’t leave as hard as you want him to, sit fourth, try not to force it.”

Remarkably, 2025 marks just the second year that Herschberger has been making his mark driving full-time. A year ago, the 30-year-old reinsman won 104 races, 21 of those at The Meadowlands, which was good for 17^th in the Big M standings.

This year has seen the pilot’s numbers reach new heights. He has 201 wins, so at season’s end, he will have far more than double the victories than he had a year ago. His 90 wins at The Meadowlands are good for second in the standings, trailing only Brett Beckwith, who has made 110 winner’s circle visits.

Given your success, why did you start so late as compared to just about every other driver?

“Opportunity is the main thing,” said Herschberger. “Going back, I worked for my uncle [Erv Miller] for seven or eight years and that got me into it. The opportunity wasn’t there to be a driver. Fast forward eight years and I put my name out there. I think just being personable and talking to people, and after a race having good feedback is key. Being able to call yourself out [when something goes wrong on the track], trainers appreciate that. I’m not trying to blame the horse. I think that’s been a huge factor.”

Herschberger now finds himself in another club, as one of The Big M’s wintertime “Big 4”. Brett Beckwith, Braxten Boyd and Johnathan Ahle complete the quartet that first caught the eye of Meadowlands patrons last year, and they have continued to cement their names near the top of the mile-track oval’s standings.

“Those guys are phenomenal,” said Herschberger. “They can all make speed, and they all have great heads on them. Brett, Braxten and Johnny, they all keep a level head, even when things aren’t going well on a given night.

“We are all very close. Brett put us all on group chat the other day. Racing in the winter [when the big-name Grand Circuit drivers aren’t around], I think it’s helped us young guys out, opening the door for us to be in the spotlight. Everybody watches The Meadowlands, they all have it on their TVs, it’s the mecca of harness racing. So, if that can be us young guys up there winning races, I think it’s great for the sport.”

-by Dave Little for The Meadowlands