Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Driver of the Month
for February 2007

Josh Sutton

Josh Sutton, 24-years-young, debuted on the Chicago harness racing scene in late fall of 2006. However, the Henderson, Kentucky native is no stranger to harness racing, having been involved in the sport as a youngster and then heavily in 2001, when he began to pursue a catch-driving career seriously.

"I initially got involved in harness racing through my parents, Jackie and Angela Sutton," Josh said. "My dad’s father owned horses and my great-grandfather was a trainer-driver too.

Josh Sutton

"The first person I went to work for was Clint Binkley—as his second trainer—and he gave me my start as far as driving when I was 20-years-old."

During 2000 Josh had gotten his feet wet by driving for Binkley in qualfiers and matinees at both Blue Grass and Colonial Downs.

In 2002 Sutton picked up his whip, and cardinal, royal-blue and white colors and headed to Indiana Downs after a successful stint at Lebanon Raceway, amassing earnings just shy of $130,000 that year. 2003 would prove to be even more lucrative for Sutton, as he plied his wares at Lebanon, Hoosier Park, and Lexington.

The following season (2004) Sutton would drive the winners of over half a million dollars for the very first time, a feat he was to repeat in 2005. However, 2006 would prove to be his most lucrative year to date, as he piloted the winners of well over $1.2 million. After starting the year out racing at Lebanon and Northfield Park, he raced at Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs throughout the summer, before venturing to the Windy City for the first time.

"I didn’t want to go back to Lebanon and I had a couple of local people ask me to come up here to drive, so I did know a few folks before I came here," Josh said. "I came up here the end of November last year, and so far it’s been terrific."

Sutton was well-received in Chicago, due in large part, to the exodus by such long-time Windy City reinsmen as Tony Morgan, Andy Miller and Tim Tetrick. The door was open for a fresh, young face, and Sutton has fit the bill well. Small in stature but large in confidence, Sutton has grabbed the reins and eagerly taken advantage of situation by driving regularly at the sister tracks of Balmoral and Maywood Parks.

"I get along well with the other drivers here and the racing is good," Josh noted. "It’s great because you get to race half the week over a half mile and the other half over a mile, so the diversity keeps your driving skills sharp."

Josh Sutton's Career Statistics as of Februay 1, 2007
Year   Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds   Earnings        UDRS
2007     179        30    26   19       $163,511          0.284
2006   1814      260 249 243       $1,229,335       0.264
2005   1277     230 189 159       $553,383          0.304
2004   1249     121 153 149      $543,646          0.205
2003     969      180 127 151      $365,426          0.311
2002   443      63    61    41       $129,128          0.250
2001    181        18   21    25      $44,721            0.210
2000      23         1     0       3       $4,028              0.087