Over the years, there have always been some negative rumblings whenever an “amateur” event is part of a “pari-mutuel” harness racing program.
Some punters can be heard mumbling, “I’m passing this race…you know…amateurs.”
Let’s clarify something about the amateur drivers right this very moment…
The reason they are merely “amateurs,” as some of you mutter, is because they donate all of their earnings from driving to charitable organizations!
That charitable distribution includes donations to organizations that rescue horses from the kill pens…that re-train retired horses to lend therapeutic hands to those in psychological distress or have suffered trauma in their lives—from “children 2 to 92!”…to children that have one final wish in their fragile, shortened lives…to organizations that provide healing services to victims of assault and violence providing shelter, counseling and medical services…many, many more.
And just in the past few days in our own backyard – a stable area – the worst tragedy of all…the destruction of equine life and, along with it, the destruction of the lives of the owners, trainers, drivers and caretakers—maybe not in terms of their life on earth but, emotionally, even worse.
To those of you “nay-sayers,” amateur races have an intrinsic value that is immeasurable to—and for—our grand sport.
For those of you that don’t know the word “intrinsic,” it’s something belonging to something by its very nature—say, the intrinsic value of a gold ring with a carat or two of diamonds.
In these eyes, the amateur clubs in the United States—a dozen of them or more—provide an intrinsic value to harness racing that goes far beyond the racetrack, itself, purse money, a $19.43 win mutuel, (in Kentucky, anyhow) and so much more.
So, when you see an amateur like Dein Spriggs in an amateur event, it doesn’t show that he has 500 lifetime wins or that he donates all of his earnings form these drives for charitable donations…and has for years and years! Larry Ferrari does the same—close to 400 wins for him. Anthony Verruso, 74 wins in just the past three seasons…has won close to $800,000 in purses…$40,000 of that was his driver’s fees and they all went to charity groups!
Judge Beltrami…97 lifetime wins…86 of those the past three season, over $37,000 earmarked for charity through the amateur driving clubs.
There are several hundred amateur drivers and, when you add up all of their contributions, it becomes a staggering amount to give our entire sport the ability to help communities, cities, counties and, most importantly, racehorses and horsemen and women that suffer tragedies that most of us think unthinkable.
Can’t mention all of ‘em, but, when Joe Faraldo or Yogi Sheridan or Alan Schwartz hop in the bike in somewhere in New York, they contribute their share to charitable causes.
When Jeff Schaefer and Billy Abdelnour—up Tioga way—take the lines and the inherent risk associated with our sport, they do it for charity.
Up in Maine with Doug Gray, Todd Whitney, Jason Bertolini and McKenzie Sowers, to name a few…
How about Steve Oldford and Henry Beachy and Alesha Binkley and Christina Johnson and Floyd Rhodas and so many others hop on board the amateur wagon near Cleveland to do their part…
And in Kentucky and West Virginia, “professional amateurs” include Jafari Frazier, Adarryl Gates, Wyatt Long, Doc Woogen, Carson Conrad, Wyatt Long, John McNeill III, Kubi Erzene, the Dinges Brothers—Tony and Roy—again, to name a handful or two.
They are among the hundreds of others that, unselfishly, help our sport help those in dire need.
When a racing secretary from The Meadowlands or Yonkers or Oak Grove or Cumberland Run or Freehold or Vernon Downs or Plainridge or Monticello or in Maine and Maryland and Northfield and, even, Delaware, O-HI-O, to name a couple of handfuls, adds amateur events to their overnite sheets, he or she, too, is paving the way for our sport to be looked upon in a positive light.
Some of our amateur drivers have been gracing our grand sport for a half century or more…some are attorneys…some doctors…one that I know of is a judge…sales persons…some involved in sports like baseball and football…some are great ladies like Lauren Harmon and Stacey McLenaghan and Devan MIller and Nicole Dicostanzo and Veronica Merton…some are in the computer industry…some are even less than 20-year-of-age…some are old enough to “retire” but their love of our sport supersedes that.
Many work so hard in this industry to put on the show by getting up while the skies have yet to see the first rays of the sun and work until the darkest hours of night after the sun has long set. After all, sometimes, the last race isn’t until a few minutes before midnight.
Amateur drivers are talented. Some have a bit of wealth…many don’t. But they all have that charitable spirit and heart that says, “there are some folks that are still less fortunate than I and I will donate my driving earnings to a cause greater and more important than myself.”
It’s a spirit that is very rare in today’s world.
Amateur races are very competitive as the drivers are combatants with a hunger looking for the glory and a walk to the winner’s circle.
As Dein Spriggs often says, “Winning never gets old and to see the faces of those recipients of our grants in the winner’s circle, well, you have to witness it to believe it.
“That’s what our sport can do for society…and it’s more important today than ever before.”
Spriggs has a very valid point as our sport continues to lose patronage through modern technology, other forms of gambling and simple attrition.
That’s exactly why, at many racing venues offering amateur races, rides in the starting gate give new faces a close-up view of the action and a trip to the paddock to see the prep work in putting, in our eyes, the grandest show on earth!
So, exactly how important are amateur events in harness racing?
Just ask the folks at Sanctuary, Inc, Redemption Ranch, Cassidys Cause Therapeutic Riding Academy, Steel Magnolia Sanctuary, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Tomorrow’s Rainbow, Rocking T Equine Sanctuary, New Vocations, Vinceramos Therapeutic Riding Center…
All are recent beneficiaries from the generosity of Amateur Club members throughout our land.
Just ask Sparky Clarke, Kevin Reynolds, Jr., Alison Kolesar, Dan Harvey, Dale Allen, Ashley Bako and Tim Miller, all victims of the senseless tragedy at Tioga Downs.
Amateur clubs went to work faster than a 1:46 mile to help ease the pain of that day.
Amateur races are extremely competitive and, in pari-mutuel terms, are competitive in handle with other carded races on any racing program.
They bring in new faces, new blood and new money—something our sport needs desperately.
And that’s the true definition of “intrinsic value.”
by John Berry, for Harnesslink