As well, Palone has made a name for himself on the national and North American scene, nabbing many honors throughout the sport. For instance, in 1999 and 2000, he was named Harness Tracks Of America Driver of the Year, and in 2001 and 2002 just narrowly missed grabbing that title again.

Dave began his career in harness racing at the tender age of 13, cleaning stalls for his father and trainer Herman Hylkema. He began jogging at age 15, and he was hooked. Palone went straight into harness racing from high school, and worked his way up to Hylkema’s second trainer. From there he progressed into being one of harness racing's most consistent and notable reinsmen. In fact, Dave holds the record for the most wins in a single season at The Meadows, wiht 727 winners in 2000.

Over the years Dave has captured some of harness racing's top events, including the 1997 Windy City Pace with Arturo, the 199 Adios with Washington Vc, the 1991 Beacon Course Final with Dontellmenomore, the 2003 Galt Memorial with Hellava Hush, the 1999 Jugette with Maudlin Hanover and the 2003 Jugette with Numeric Hanover, the 1996 Cleveland Classic with Free Hart and the 2003 Nadia Lobell with Numeric Hanover, among others. Dave has also steered the winner's of over 50 Arden Downs events throughout his career, and has won over 20 eeditions of the W.N. Reynolds Memorials.
Palone's longtime friend and Meadows announcer Roger Huston says that Palone has a rare gift and talent for assessing a horse's ability and the abilities of his foes.
"I don't know how many times I've thought, 'Gee, what's he doing?' and then they come under the wire and he's on top," Huston said. "He's able to read what's developing in behind the gate better than any other driver I've ever seen race."

Dave enjoys golfing in his spare time and has this simple adage that he applies to life "stay healthy and hang around the sport for as long as I can."

Palone notched the 11,000th win of his illustrious career, highlighting W.N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes action at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on July 12, 2006. He became the fourth driver in North American harness history to accomplish the feat, joining Herve Filion, Cat Manzi & Walter Case Jr.

Palone got the historic win aboard Gel Mibson, a two-year-old trotting colt making his debut, in 2:02:3. It was the third and final Reynolds win of the day for Palone, all for trainer George Teague Jr. Palone also won with Fiore Hanover, a filly who won her second straight in 1:55:4, and Warrawee Imprint, a colt who trotted to a win in 1:59:2 in his first lifetime start.

A fixture at the Meadows, where he has been the leading driver for a dozen years, Palone has recently embraced travel and the Grand Circuit. He’s picked up drives with some top horses in recent years – in 2005 he won the Little Brown Jug with P-Forty-Seven and was second in Breeders Crown races with two-year-old trotters Mr Pine Chip and Macaria Hanover. He also won the Allerage with older trotter Hellava Hush. In 2004, he was second in the Breeders Crown with Allamerican Inca, runner-up in the Sweetheart with Up Front Norma and second in the Woodrow Wilson with Up Front Charlie.

“I’ve been able to hook up with some good horses,” said Palone. “I really enjoy the stakes racing now; I love to travel now. I used to love to pile up the wins, but now it means a lot to me to drive in the top races. I’ve kind of stayed here [at the Meadows] and it’s tough when you’re not on the Meadowlands circuit to pick up the top horses. It’s a great feeling when people have the confidence to turn the lines over to you to race those kinds of horses.”

Palone is a five-time winner of Harness Tracks of America’s Driver of the Year Award. He has put together a streak of 20 consecutive years with at least 400 wins; no other driver has ever done it for more than six straight seasons.

“Those are the kinds of things I’m proud of, and I’m fortunate,” Palone said. “I’ve never had an injury that kept me out more than a couple months. I’m very fortunate, knock on wood. It’s been a long grind, and it’s very satisfying to get there."

Palone won 600 or more races for seven straight years from 1996 to 2002 and also has had back-to-back seasons of 700 or more (1999 to 2000), a two-year period during which Palone won his first two national dash-win crowns. He added a third title in 2004 by winning 669 races. His total races won figure set him just behind Herve Filion (15,175) and Cat Manzi (13,616) on the all-time win list among all harness drivers in history.

“It’s awfully satisfying to have my name up there with guys like Herve and Cat. It’s a lot of work. It’s tough to stay on top of your game for as many years as I have. I’ve stayed here at home, at the Meadows, and been a bang-it-out type of grinder. I enjoy racing on the Grand Circuit, but knocking around the Meadows for 12 months a year – that’s going in a lot of circles.”

Palone had an amazing night on April 21, 2008 when he piloted 11 winners on a single Meadows program, becoming the first driver ever to win that many races on a single card. In addition, he's won 10 races on a card on two occasions.

Dave Palone's Career Stats through February 24, 2010
Year      Starts    1st     2nd     3rd      Money Won
2010        307      55         45        22      $541,728
2009      2775      697      457      327      $10,719,237
2008      2827      885      484      324      $10,094,570
2007      2173      650      375      241      $5,626,893
2006      2065      560      337      263      $4,357,270
2005      1438      415      224      157      $2,127,077
2004      2251      669      371      246      $4,671,119
2003      2041      532      310      280      $4,037,910
2002      2280      620      385      284      $3,142,655
2001      2514      642      419      307      $3,493,971
2000      2640      739      473      324      $3,865,999
1999      2404      725      429      281      $4,056,827
1998      2287      626      373      298      $2,899,388
1997      2350      677      398      264      $3,232,599
1996      2449      639      397      326      $2,696,818
1995      2299      543      427      330      $2,645,110
1994      2290      581      406      298      $2,218,874
1993      2077      574      377      282      $1,968,386
1992      2093      615      362      271      $1,931,779
1991      1732      453      315      234      $1,727,484
1990      1764      428      297      236      $1,048,423
1989      1427      319      240      183      $709,661
1988      695        137      113      94       $340,918
1987      782        145      113      98       $296,727
1986      383        83         50      48        $147,295
1985      1054      181      169      141      $339,720
1984      610        81         87      89        $162,524
1983      158        33         19      16        $46,936
1982      14           0          4         1        $1,955
Total              13,531                          $81,557,478