Zeron catching fire

The 2023 season has been remarkable for leading North American harness racing driver Scott Zeron.

The 34yo Canadian native has captured some of the biggest and most prestigious trophies the harness racing industry has to offer including today’s $450,000 131st Kentucky Futurity with Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing) for three-year-old trotters Sunday (Oct. 8) afternoon at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.

Zeron also combined with the Nancy Takter trainee to win the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands in August.

It was his third victory in the Hambletonian following previous success with Marion Marauder (2016) and Atlanta (2018).

His list of features won this year also includes the $1 million North America Cup (Its My Show) at Mohawk plus the $1 million Little Brown Jug (Its My Show) and the $255,000 Jugette (Ucandoit Hanover) at Delaware.

Zeron joined Billy Haughton and David Miller as the only drivers to win the Jug and Jugette in the same year, having done so in 1974 and 2011, respectively.

Both Its My Show and Ucandoit Hanover are prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano.

And with the rich Breeders Crown features (Hoosier Park, Indianapolis) still to come later this month, who knows how the year will finish for the man who sports the red, white and blue silks.

He has over 190 wins to date this year while his earnings are just shy of $9 million.

Zeron has firmly cemented himself as one of the best big race money drivers going around and his list of achievements is very impressive.

His father Rick is a highly respected driver in Canada and has competed against many times.

He was the youngest driver to reach 2000 wins at 23 years of age.

Zeron was born in Montreal and made a name for himself in Ontario, twice leading all Canadian drivers in wins (2010 and 2011) before relocating to the U.S. near the end of 2013.

He won the 2012 Little Brown Jug with Michael’s Power and at age 23 was the youngest driver to ever win the race. He received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

The list of star performers he has driven is becoming bigger by the day, but Marion Marauder holds a special place in his heart.

With Marion Marauder, the then 27-year-old Zeron was the second-youngest driver to win the Hambletonian and youngest driver to win a harness racing Triple Crown, either trotting or pacing.

Another name that pops up on his list is Catch The Fire (1:46.4), a dual winner of the Sam McKee Memorial at Meadowlands.

Along with Dexter Dunn, Zeron was a regular driver of the Captaintreacherous entire.

“Catch The Fire had the desire to win and the ability to do it without a trip. Very durable and long distances would’ve suited him even better, wicked fast and super strong.” Scott Zeron

Last month, a colt by Catch The Fire topped the Ohio Selected Jug Sale with a price of $225,000.

He finished second on average ($35,909) as a first crop sire with 22 lots sold.

A half-brother to Catch The Fire sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Centre last week at a price of $70,000.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Catch The Fire would shuttle between Sugar Valley Farms in Ohio to Somerset Farms in Queensland.

The new Brisbane harness nursery is headed by the husband-and-wife team of Pete McMullen and Chantal Turpin.

Also standing at Somerset Farms is world champion A Rocknroll Dance.

Catch The Fire stands at a fee of $5500.

by Chris Barsby