Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Driver Of the Month: June 2004
Ryan Anderson
by Kimberly A. Rinker

Most 23-year-olds never imagine earning $10 million in a lifetime, let alone before they reach a quarter of a century in age. However, reinsman Ryan Anderson, who has piloted the winners of well over $9.7 million to date, has done just that, and all prior to his 24th birthday, which he'll celebrate on the 21st of this month.

On May 22nd of this year Ryan-sporting his blue, white and gold colors-guided Odds On Dana to his 1,000th victory at Balmoral. The victory came in Balmoral's 11th event, as Anderson steered the four-year-old son of Artiscape under the wire in 1:52.1, winning by over four lengths for trainer Robin Schadt.

That same night Ryan had also captured the sixth race with Boyish Charm, scoring a neck victory in 1:53.1, and then took the tenth event in 1:52.2 with Cash Is Terrific. Both of those
victories came for father/trainer Joe Anderson. Ryan then took the last race of the night, winning the 12th with Artiovascular.

As of June 1, 2004, Ryan has driven over 1,007 winners since he began steering horses around the Illinois ovals in 1999. During his first year of driving, the Crete, Il. resident piloted horses mainly from his father's stable-trainer Joe Anderson, who has a training facility in Crete, Illinois.

"This has been pretty exciting for me," Ryan said. "It's certainly a goal that I had wanted to achieve. Now, I just have to keep doing what I've been doing-winning races."

Anderson's aggressive style has made him a popular choice for many trainers besides his father, including conditioner Robin Schadt of Odds On Racing.

"Ryan is aggressive, and he gets a lot out of the horses without being too hard on them," Schadt noted. "He's also easy to talk to, and will discuss the horse before and after race. That's important."

In 1999 Anderson went behind the gate just 75 times, and recorded an 18-12-16 record, his mounts earning a modest $123,354. The following year his career took off, as he drove 163 winners from 752 starts, amassing $2 million in purse earnings in 2000. He would capture the $783,484 Breeders Crown at Mohawk in Canada with Popcorn Penny, and the $320,000 Orange & Blue on Super Night at Balmoral, the $100,000 Governor's Cup at DuQuoin, and the $67,500 Cardinal Stake-all with the pacer Rattle And Rock.

In 2001 Anderson took Rattle And Rock to victory on Super Night again, this time in the three-year-old Illinois-bred stake, the $205,000 Langley Memorial. When the season ended, Anderson had won 283 races and earned over $2.8 million in purses. In 2002 Anderson won 217 races and $1.9 million in earnings, and last year piloted 192 winners of $1.8 million, including Droppin'TheHammer, who he drove to victory in the $70,000 Abe Lincoln Stake at Maywood.

In 2004 Ryan has already guided over 135 pacers and trotters to the winner's circle, and has finished second 102 times and third 98 times, for earnings of $885,682+, from 944 trips behind the starting gate. His UDRS (Universal Driver Rating System) remains steady at an average of .240 annually.

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