What characteristics make a great harness driver?

[trying2win]

--It seems every harness racetrack has one or two ace drivers, as well as a few others that are better-than-average. What separates these ace, and better-than-average harness drivers from the rest of the pack? What characteristics do they have that make them superior drivers?


Thanks,

Trying2win

[sq764]

Good hands, quick reflexes.. and most importantly... READING THE PROGRAM BEFORE THE RACE.

It's amazing how many drivers do not do this. If you ever go to the paddock at Meadowlands, you see all the good drivers (Lachance, JC, Pierce, Miller) huddling around to read the program to see how their horse likes to race and how the rest of the field stacks up..

[norm f]

I like an aggressive driver,One willing to make a decision,take a chance and go.Id rather lose a bet on a bad decision than indecision

[Dan Montilion]

Great Harness Horses.

Dan Montilion

[melman]

Dan, short sweet and to the point.

[trying2win]

--I think the great harness drivers have light hands, make quick decisions on when to make a move in a race, drive aggressively, will be quick to change tactics in a race when the race doesn't seem to go according to plan.

--Here are a few examples where I've noticed some leading drivers do tactics like the following:

1. On a 5/8's of a mile harness oval, if they're sitting 3rd along the rail around the first turn, they have a habit of quickly pulling their horse off the rail and quickly sprinting to the lead, once ey've headed into the straightaway in front of the grandstand. That's a smart move in my book. You don't want to be sitting 3rd along the rail too long, in the early to middle part of the race. It's too easy to get boxed in.

2. A great driver senses that the pace is too slow, then will pull the horse away from the rail to go 1st over and zoom to the lead (when the dumb, low percentage drivers try that tactic of going 1st over, they tend to dawdle on the outside too long, tiring out the horse).

3. A great driver like John Campbell, has an uncanny ability to win the close finishes when driving a closer.

Trying2win

[JustRalph]

Looking like you are trying to Win when you don't have a chance in hell........and you know it.

[trying2win]

Originally posted by JustRalph
Looking like you are trying to Win when you don't have a chance in hell........and you know it.

Ralph,

--I had to study your post for awhile to figure out what you were getting at...I've concluded it must be the look of the SMILIE. Yessiree, I might have resembled "That look" on the SMILIE early on Jan. 14, (minus the lung cancer stick dangling out of the mouth and the green face) before I sent in my bets ...You know...the smug look!

--After the days' bets were tallied up, it was like "One step forward and two steps back" in the overall financial results (except for Delta Downs). Then I might have resembled a SMILIE with a frown!

--I don't have the look of Ricky Nelson as per your avatar. Too much grey hair on the top of my head now! But, I can sing "Garden Party" and play my acoustical guitar at the same time.

--Anyone wanting to see what Ricky Nelson looked like as a teenager or in his early twenties, can watch him on some of those old black and white TV shows named "Ozzie and Harriet" for free, online. The website is www.movieflix.com ...You just sign up for free...scroll down a bit on the home page until you arrive at the link entitled CLASSIC TV ...click on that, then on the next page click on the page numbers at the bottom of the listings, until you get to the page for "Ozzie and Harriet" shows.

Trying2win

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by trying2win
--I don't have the look of Ricky Nelson as per your avatar. Too much grey hair on the top of my head now! But, I can sing "Garden Party" and play my acoustical guitar at the same time.

It's 4:33a and I just finished about an hour of playing alone in the dark, in my rec room studio. From Dwight Yoakam to the Beatles, some Bob Seger and Merle Haggard, also a little stuff I wrote myself. It truly does soothe the savage beast.......... I will have to look up Garden Party........ I used to do it in another life.

If you want to see one of the nicest websites on the net...try..

www.ricknelson.com

Those guys know how to do a web site. They also do the Elvis site. Goodnight Everybody...! JustRalph is leaving the Building!