Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Personalitiy of the Month
March 2006

Tom Kelley

Tom Kelley has made harness racing his life. The 41-year-old Chicago native plys his wares at Balmoral racetrack, in the form of both Publicity Director for Balmoral and a Steward at the Crete, Illinois harness racing venue.

Tom resides in Tinley Park with his wife Chris, a flight attendant for United Airlines. Tom says even though the hours of racetrack publicist and steward are unusual, he prefers then over other forms of employment.

Tom Kelley

"The best part of my job is not being confined to an office in a 9 to 5 setting," Tom says. "Dealing with the people that are part of this sport from drivers, trainers, owners to the other folks that work in all the differeent aspects of the sport everywhere in the country is what I love."

"Conversely, the pay is not good. Dealing with people who have no respect fot the sport or the sacrifices everyone makes so that we can put out the best product possible is discouraging at times."

However, Tom says, everyday that he spends working at Balmoral brings him a new adventure.

"You've got to be willing to work bad and long hours, weekends and holidays if you love racing and you want to make a go of it," Tom notes. "Everyone that is there is helping to make things go and that really helps to form a bond bewteen everyone at the track, which is really important to a healthy working environment."

Tom says an inherent love of harness racing is what first prompted him to become involed in racing and to choose it as a life-long career.

"I developed a love of the sport in my high school years," Tom says. "After meeting some of the great people that participate in the game I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. All of the advancements in racing--including equipment enhancements and bleeding medications have helped to create more speed in the sport. The fact now with the Internet coverage we can get our race stories, etc out to not only our country but anywhere in the world as they happen is one of the biggest advancements we've had in the last decade. The Internet and Satelite TV have been several of the greatest developments in racing over the years."

Tom says that if he were made the Czar of harness racing for one year, that he would tighten down on racing infractions.

"Rule violations would be universal throughout North American and I mean everything from pylon infractions, interference and drug violations," Tom says. "All the ruling members of the different states should get together and get this done. No more grey areas! I'd also make sure a program was put in place to make sure that employees in this sport had adequate insurance, were paid what they are worth and had 401K plans."

"Ten years from now I hope to be laying on a beach with a tropical drink in one hand and that night's racing program in the other!"