Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Driver of the Month: September 2004

Tony Morgan

Chicago driving kingpin Tony Morgan is one of North America’s most prolific all-around horsemen—participating in harness racing as driver, owner and breeder, as a the consistent leader and President of the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association. He is known for his intelligence both on and off the racetrack, and for his quick wit and dry sense of humor.

Last year the 46-year-old Morgan, a native of Troy, Ohio captured both the Maywood and Balmoral Park driving titles despite a shortened program that saw the horseman sit out the first three months of 2003. At Maywood it was the fifith consecutive season and the eighth time in that half-mile oval's history that Morgan had nailed down the crown. It was also the fourth time he'd taken the Balmoral title.

Nationally, Tony wrapped up 2003 third in North America among all drivers in terms of victories (579), which was 230 more than any other Chicago circuit driver.

Tony Morgan

"I didn’t set out to win those titles," Morgan said. "It just kind of happened. I’ve spent a lot of time here in Chicago over the years, and it figures that I’ve kind of outlasted a lot of other folks."

Tony has been driving since he was 15-years-old, steering his father’s horses around the Ohio county fair ovals. Since that time he’s driven the winners of over $58 million and scored 9,003 victories lifetime, as of September 6, 2004.

His first one million dollar earning season came in 1988, and every year since 1995 Tony has piloted the winners of over $4 million per year. 1998 was his top year in terms of purse money won—with $5.7 million, while 1996 was his best year to date when it came to winning drives—with 853 trips to the winner’s circle and $5.2 million in purses earned.

In 2003 Morgan—who resides in south suburban Beecher, Illinois also reinvested a lot of his money back into the sport through purchasing many of the horses he drives.

"I’m always looking for horses to buy," Morgan said. "And many times, when I can’t find an owner for a horse, I’ll just buy him myself or buy him in partnership with a trainer that I drive for. It’s worked out pretty well these last few years and I’ve had good luck with this system in the past."

In addition to his 579 wins in 2003, Morgan garnered 380 seconds and 322 thirds to his credit from 2,555 trips postward, and $4,268,241 in earnings.

"It’s always nice to win the title at any track," Morgan said. "I was lucky to get a lot of half-mile racing experience while I was still a youngster. My dad would load me up with a trailer full of horses and send me to the county fairs on the weekends. That experience was invaluable, and has helped me throughout my career."

At Maywood Park alone in 2003 Tony won 246 races and over $1.3 million in earnings, while at Balmoral he steered the winners of $1.5 million a total of 184 times. His combined stats for the Chicago circuit (Maywood & Balmoral) were over $2.8 million in earnings.

"I was lucky to get a lot of half-mile racing experience while I was still a youngster. My dad would load me up with a trailer full of horses and send me to the county fairs on the weekends. That experience was invaluable, and has helped me throughout my career."

This year Tony appears to be well on the way to another stellar year of victories and high purse earnings--seen typically only drivers who compete at the Meadowlands or in Canada on a regular basis. Through September 1, 2004, Tony has steered 390 winners who've earned seasonal dollars in the amount of $2.9 million.

Over the years Tony has sat behind some of harness racing's most notable pacers and trotters, including Ball And Chain, The Wrath of Pan, Magic Shopper, Hot Lead and Image of Jate to name of few. In the last few years he has teamed up with owner Lloyd Arnold to produce such Illinois Standouts as Chevie Duramax and Quik Pulse Mindale.

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