Jordan Ross having breakout year

Hightstown, NJ — Jordan Ross entered this season looking to continue his development as a harness racing driver, and after posting a career year in every sense of the word, the 25-year-old Tennessee native is happy with his progress.

Ross, who got his first driving win in 2016, came into this year with a total of 131 victories in 1,018 starts and $884,213 in purses. With several weeks to go this season, Ross already has surpassed not only his best previous campaign, but his overall career figures by notching 147 triumphs and $1.55 million in purses while driving in virtually the same number of prior races — 1,024.

His 83 wins at Harrah’s Hoosier Park put him seventh in the driver standings for the recently concluded meet and represented a 361-percent increase over his 18 victories at the Indiana oval last year. In addition, Ross finished second in wins and purses on the Indiana fairs circuit, with 48 triumphs and $153,354 in money.

“It’s been a great year,” said Ross, who when he is not busy with driving commitments works for trainer Robert Taylor. “I think it’s just overall getting more comfortable with handling horses, sitting in the race bike, learning a little more, relaxing a little more. I got a little better rating a mile and putting horses in good positions, just trying to give them the best trip possible.

“I think I was a lot more confident this year, more than anything, and people put me on some really good horses.”

Among Ross’ highlights were winning the Plum Peachy and a division of the Violet Pace at Hawthorne Racecourse with Apple Valley, winning three times with Rollin Rosie in the preliminary rounds of the Indiana Sire Stakes series, a victory and four seconds with Jusmakinyalook in the ISS, and capturing a Governor’s Cup championship with Babe’s Darla at the Indiana State Fair.

“I did well with Apple Valley in Illinois and then at Hoosier things just picked up more and more as the year went on,” Ross said. “The more horses you drive, the more experience you get and the more comfortable you are when you get on the racetrack.”

Another thrill for Ross was getting his first-ever training win with 2-year-old female pacer RNR Lucky Vida. He drove the filly to a 1:52.4 victory in a race for Indiana Sire Stakes eligibles at Hoosier Park. Unfortunately, health issues derailed her season.

“She got sick and sore on me late, but she raced good for me,” said Ross, who co-owns the horse with Larry Poindexter, a close friend of Ross’ late grandfather, Graham. “It was a good experience.”

Ross was introduced to harness racing by his grandfather, who trained a stable of 15 to 20 horses that raced primarily at the Illinois fairs. Ross was hanging around his grandfather’s barn at an early age and became immersed in the business.

“I think I first started going to the barn when I was 4 or 5,” Ross said. “From there, I learned how to clean stalls, learned how to harness, the right way to do stuff. It’s something I love doing. I love being around horses. You can see the transition from them being babies to becoming racehorses and then from 2 to 3 seeing how their progress goes. From kind of being green to being good, smart racehorses.”

Ross began working for Taylor, another of his grandfather’s friends, in 2015.

“For me, working with (Taylor) and being around the babies has been a big help,” Ross said. “That has kind of taught me patience, not to get irritated when thing don’t go your way. That is the same on the track, when a race doesn’t go how you think it should.”

With Hoosier’s meet completed, Ross has turned his attention to driving at Hollywood Dayton Raceway in Ohio as he looks to close out his career-best campaign. And he aims to continue his professional growth now and, in the years to come.

“I want to make smarter decisions, make better reads,” Ross said. “Not only know my horse but know every horse in the field and understand how it can dictate how I drive.

“The main goal is to continue to get better and better. Just keep your head on straight and stay at it.”

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA