James “Bill” Dailey, a horseman from Mechanicsburg, Ohio, will receive the Winner’s Circle Award from the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writer’s Association for his achievements in 2009

.

The Winner’s Circle Award honours the Ohioan with the most outstanding achievements in harness racing in a given year.

In 2009, Dailey trained the winners of $801,727, tripling his training total from 2007. It was by far his best season in the sport as his horses started 385 and compiled a 64-72-50 slate. That gave Dailey a training average of .313.

Dailey, whose given name is James but who is known to many as “Bill,” is also active as driver, both for his own stock and as a catch-driver. In 2009 he drove 70 winners in 581 starts and his mounts banked $583,739.

The 6-footer is a trotting specialist and his best diagonally-gaited performers in 2009 included Colby D, Cool Colby, Rose Run Legend, and Dont Know Chip. His standout pacers were the filly Best Of Ball, McMantle, and Matts Image.

Dailey, who will turn 50 in 2010, is a native of Jamestown, Ohio and worked under Ohio Hall of Famer Sam “Chip” Noble in his early years in the sport. His brothers Jeff and Jack are also quite active in Ohio harness racing. In fact, last August 21 there was a “Dailey Triple” at Scioto Downs in which his brothers got the best of him. Brother Jeff won the race, Jack finished second, and Bill was third.

Bill enjoyed his own personal “Dailey Triple” on Ohio Super Night at Northfield Park when he trained three of the winners of the eight events and had one third-place finish. His winners that night were Cool Colby, B Contemporary, and Best Of Ball.

Dailey will receive the Winner’s Circle Award at the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Assn. banquet in Columbus on January 16. For tickets, please contact the OHHA at 800-353-6442.

(The Little Brown Jug)