Bryson Dunning loves what he’s doing

Hightstown, NJ — When harness racing driver Bryson Dunning visited The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono for the first time in his budding career this past March, it was almost like something from a movie. Or a YouTube video.

Except instead of watching races involving his favorite drivers, the 18-year-old Dunning was participating in the action with them.

Dunning spent a lot of time viewing replays of races on the internet while growing up. One of his favorite drivers to watch was Jim Morrill Jr., who has won more than 7,700 races lifetime and ranks 21st in career purses with $110 million.

So, when Dunning found himself following the cover of Morrill’s horse on a second-over trip with Dirt On My Boots, trained by Dunning’s father Jody, it was exciting. When Dirt On My Boots came off the final turn and blazed down the stretch to win the conditioned pace by 2-1/4 lengths at odds of 32-1, it became a moment Dunning will certainly remember.

“So, to follow him and go by in the stretch felt like a really big achievement.”

Dunning, who began driving at the Great Pocomoke Fair in Maryland several years ago and made his pari-mutuel debut in 2021, has won 13 of 103 career purse races. He has won at four tracks since the start of last year: Shenandoah Downs, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Rosecroft Raceway, and Pocono.

In addition, Dunning has won seven of 59 lifetime starts as a trainer, with victories coming at Philly, Yonkers, The Meadowlands, and Pocono. Interestingly, his most recent training triumph came last month at Pocono — with Morrill handling the driving.

But Dunning’s favorite training win so far came in January when Real McCoy captured a conditioned trot at Yonkers.

“My dad raced there a lot, and everyone knows him there,” Dunning said. “So, for me to win there, it felt really good. Everyone was congratulating me and saying my dad would be proud. I think that’s why it was a big deal for me.”

Dunning and his father each train six horses at their stable in southern New Jersey. Harness racing has been a passion for Dunning since childhood.

“I’ve done this my whole life,” Dunning said. “I don’t have much interest in anything else. I have fun with what I do. To me, it doesn’t feel like a job. Every day I wake up excited to do it.”

When it comes to driving, Dunning is gaining experience with every race, particularly when it comes to rating horses and understanding their tendencies so he can maximize their potential.

“I think that’s the most important thing for me,” Dunning said. “I’ve had a good streak going for a little bit, I’ve been on a roll, and that helps a lot. I think I’ve gotten a lot of confidence from that.”

Dunning stands around 6-foot-3 and weighs about 215 pounds. People told him his size would keep him from driving horses, but Dunning was unaffected by the naysayers.

“Everyone always told me I was too big to drive,” Dunning said. “That I was too tall, and when I was younger I was a little heavier. They always told me I could never be a driver, but now I’m doing it. It’s like my dream come true.”

As much as Dunning enjoys driving, he knows the importance of not losing focus when it comes to training.

“I want to keep driving, I don’t think I’ll ever stop, but I want to make sure I still have a good stable,” Dunning said. “Training is a lot of responsibility, making sure you do well for your owners and making sure they’re happy. Right now, I drive, but if my horses are racing that day, they come first.

“For 18, I think my stable is pretty good. I’ve got a couple good claimers and a couple nice trotters. I would like to keep improving with my training and keep building my stable.”

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA