Aiken fans to see David Miller on matinee day

David Miller has visited dozens of racetracks during his career, but on Saturday the Hall of Fame harness racing driver will see one for the first time when he travels to Aiken, S.C., for the McGhees’ Mile Matinee Day.

McGhees’ Mile is a family owned-and-operated Standardbred training center with more than 250 stalls and numerous paddocks located on 77 acres. The facility is home to a one-mile red clay track, a half-mile red clay track, and a seven-eighths-mile sand track.

Eight trainers are stabled at McGhees’ Mile this winter.

Janis McGhee, who is putting together the matinee card, anticipates 12 races on Saturday. Hall of Fame announcer Roger Huston, “The Voice,” will call the action. Gates open at 9 a.m. and the races begin at noon. Ticket information is available at the McGhees’ Mile Facebook page here.

“We usually have a really good crowd,” McGhee said. “It’s a family atmosphere, pretty relaxed. Everybody has tailgates and wide spreads of food everywhere. You should see the things they have, all kinds of food.

“Everybody has fun. They just love to watch the trotters.”

The event usually attracts several thousand people.

“I’ve never been there, so when I was asked to come down, I thought it would be cool to do something new,” Miller said. “I’ve heard they get a great crowd, and it’s a great atmosphere; people really enjoy themselves. I have a feeling it will kind of take me back to my days of racing at the fairs in Ohio. I’m really looking forward to it. There are a few trainers there that I drive for, so it will be nice to see them, too. It should be a fun day.”

Miller, who was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2014, ranks No. 2 among all drivers in harness racing history in purses with $261 million. John Campbell holds the record with nearly $300 million. Miller has ranked among North America’s top-five drivers in earnings 22 of the past 23 years. He led the sport in purses in 2003 with $11.4 million.

The Ohio native is No. 6 all time in wins with nearly 13,600.

Last year, Miller was the driver of 3-year-old female pacer Test Of Faith, who was the 2021 Dan Patch Award Horse of the Year. Miller was the regular driver of two previous Horse of the Year honorees, Always B Miki in 2016 and No Pan Intended in 2003.

Miller drove at least two of the horses stabled at McGhees’ Mile last year: Pauline Hanover, trained by John McKeon, and A Handsome Face, trained by Rosy Weaver.

Pauline Hanover, a 3-year-old female trotter who is a half-sister to multiple-stakes-winner Don’t Let’em, was purchased by McKeon for $105,000 at last November’s Standardbred Horse Sale Mixed Sale. She is eligible to the Hambletonian Oaks.

Last year while racing for Carter Pinske, Pauline Hanover won two of 12 races and hit the board a total of eight times. Her top win came in a preliminary leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Commonwealth Series. She also had two seconds in preliminary legs of the Commonwealth Series and finished third in the final. She finished her season with $52,745.

“She has trained very well and I’m very pleased with her up to now,” said McKeon, who is spending his first winter in Aiken. “But I don’t know if she is a Hambletonian Oaks horse. She’s gotten stronger and better, but she might be a step down from that level. But we’re always hopeful.”

For the complete McGhees’ Mile training roster, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA