Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Driver of the Month
for December 2007

Ray Schnittker

Born February 11, 1958
Buffalo, New York
Trains at Goshen's Historic Track
at Goshen, New York
Resides in Middletown, New York

Ray Schnittker--after nearly 30 years in the harness racing business, gained national and world-wide attention in 2007 as the trainer, driver and co-owner of the standout freshman trotting colt Deweycheatumnhowe.

The Buffalo, N.Y. native guided the son of Muscles Yankee to $936,191 in first-year earnings with a spotless

Ray Schnittker

ten for ten record that included victories in the $650,000 Breeders Crown, the $692,692 Valley Victory and a sweep of his New Jersey Sires Stakes division. Deweycheatumnhowe also won twice at Lexington, taking his freshman mark of 1:54.2 over the famed red clay with Schnittker at the lines.

Sure to nail honors as 2-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year, Deweycheatumnhowe is in line as the early Hambletonian winter favorite.

Schnittker with Deweycheatumnhowe

Over the past three decades, the name Schnittker and the words “New York Sire Stakes” have become synonymous in recent years; the Buffalo, N.Y. native has produced countless winners in the rich state-bred series in recent years. Since his career began, he has won more than 2,200 races and has driven the winners of more than $26 million. But Schnittker has also won on a wider stage, with regularity; he has won the Dexter Cup four times, including the 2006 edition, and has appeared among the top-10 in the Grand Circuit driver standings.

Schnittker—with his straightforward demeanor—is no stranger to harness racing. He’s been training and driving since 1978—that year he piloted 26 horses to a 5-3-2 record and $9,995 in earnings. Ten years later the brown, gold and white-clad horseman scored his first $1 million season with a 119-104-117 record from 825 starts.

I’m a very ‘hands-on’ type of guy," says the brown, gold and white-clad trainer-driver. "I’m at the barn every day paying attention to all of the details. I think you have to do that so that you can see the potential for what could cause trouble later. I try to be in the paddock every time a horse races—even if I’m not driving. Very seldom will I stay home—maybe once here and there with the occasional overnight horse—but never, never with a stakes horse.

I'm at the barn every day paying attention to all of the details

Since then Schnittker has garnered another 13 seasons where his charges have earned $1 million or better. 2007 was his best season to date as he piloted 105 winners to $3,059,402 for an outstanding .306 UTRS. Schnittker is also a USTA Director of District 8, a term he will serve until 2010.

Ray Schnittker Career Statistics as of December 5, 2007
Year  Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds     Earnings     UDRS
2007 541   105      71      64      $3,059,402      0.306
2006 523   87       78      63      $1,695,586      0.289
2005 519   94     75      71      $1,582,749      0.307
2004 475   83       62      58      $1,332,172      0.288
2003   505     74       57      71      $1,157,095      0.256
2002   511     63      76      68      $922,031        0.250
2001   541     67      79      75      $851,680        0.251
2000 512     58       69      78      $1,079,792      0.239
1999   511    70       70      73      $943,955          0.261
1998   586     67      72      78      $1,000,394      0.227
1997 581      70      58      77      $1,368,258      0.220
1996    776    120     123    101      $1,386,739      0.286
1995   773      90    119   105      $1,155,837       0.247
1994   794    103      96   106      $911,700          0.241
1993   1020 152     135    130      $1,161,164        0.265
1992   911    128     149    108      $1,235,638       0.271
1991   593   83       81      76      $961,505           0.259
1990 905    104     99    112      $750,997            0.217
1989 1566   206    194    198      $1,601,734        0.243
1988   825   119     104    117      $1,002,272        0.262
1987   551    51       76      76      $555,675           0.215
1986   268   25      41      36      $193,617            0.223
1985   422    44      62      48      $126,154            0.224
1984   416   51      50      65      $128,429            0.241
1983   279     34      34      44      $102,870            0.242
1982    169      19      17      21      $92,584             0.210
1981    176     18     23      20      $50,840             0.213
1980    121   15      17      17      $40,003             0.249
1979    118      6       14      13      $27,017             0.153
1978     26      5      3         2      $9,995               0.282
Total         2,211                  $26,487,884