Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

What's Going On With.......RON PIERCE????

November 17, 2004

There seems to be no stopping this guy--Ron Pierce-one of the sports and the Meadowland's biggest drivers.

When he crossed the wire first at Dover Downs Wednesday in their 10th race, the $220,000 Matron for sophomore trotting fillies with Mystical Sunshine, John Campbell was second with Olympics. That's pretty fitting because the two are now breathing the same rerified air.

Consider these facts:

**Ron became only the second driver ever in the history of the sport to surpass $11.5 million in one year. John Campbell is the other.

**The gap from Ron Pierce this year in first place back to Brian Sears in second place is $2.6 million. The only driver ever in the history of the sport to win at the year's end in the money battle---with a bigger than $2.5 million gap is John Campbell.
John did it five times: in 2001, 1995, 1994, 1990 and in 1988.

**For the 2004 season, that was Ron's 14th win in a race valued at over $200,000. That is tops in North America, as well as his six wins in events worth $500,000 or better.

....And now, thoughts from Mike Lachance...

Mike Lachance will not be racing the first three months of 2005. But the second leading money-winning driver in history will actually begin that mini-vacation, effective immediately.

"I don't have any marquee 2 Year Olds for the Final Four races. I thought now would be as good a time as any," Mike said. "I had a very good year, over $7 million in purses and world records with Cabrini Hanover (1:51 flat 2 Year Old filly-She's A Great Lady) and Four Starzzz Shark (1:47.4-older horse). It's a good time to take a break and I thought I'd start it now. Lots of time with my family, helping out with some of the young horses."

And how about Cantab Hall-the only 2 Year Old trotter named Trotter Of The Year, what kind of year did he have?

"I think the bar is raised real high when you do what he did last year. It is an almost impossible thing to live up to those expectations. He won $980,000, and he was never better than in his last race, the American National. I think he made $1.4 million career-and he NEVER made a break. He's a top top colt."

Who had a better vantage point on the Horse Of The Year prospects than Mike?
"It's not an easy situation between Rainbow Blue and Windsongs Legacy. But I feel he-Windsongs Legacy-is the Horse Of The Year.Definitely. He won every final and the Triple Crown-and he did it against top horses."