Twenty-two-year-old driver Jacob Cutting continues to impress both on and off the track. The Alberta native just completed his first million-dollar year, achieving that plateau off the strength of a very impressive season at Running Aces in 2023, where he won 60 races and had 171 top three finishes from 413 trips to the gate, while banking $785,000 in purses. 

Overall for the year, Cutting won 113 races from 690 starts. He currently has 394 career wins and 1,140 top three finishes. 

Cutting first burst onto the Running Aces scene back in 2020 at age 19 and made a big impression in his first year in Minnesota, finishing in the top four in a talented driving colony and also becoming the youngest driver to ever win a Minnesota Championship event. 

In 2021, he won 60 races at Running Aces and finished in the top three and that year he won four Minnesota Championship events. 

Cutting ventured east for 2022 but returned to Aces in 2023 where he solidified his status as a continually rising star, as well as a fan favourite and a highly sought-after driver for many local trainers. 

Cutting is currently competing at Cal Expo and that is where he eclipsed the million-dollar mark for the 2023 season, passing that mark on Friday, Dec. 29. For good measure, Cutting proceeded to add an exclamation point to his 2023 season by posting five wins on the Saturday, Dec. 30 card in Sacramento to close out his 2023 campaign. 

Jacob Cutting with Dan Patch Pace winner Hezzz A Wise Sky, trainer John Filomeno and Cutting's dad Darryl 

Running Aces's Darin Gagne caught up with Cutting just after the New Year for a fun and informative Q&A session:

Darin Gagne (DG): What thing or things do you feel are the biggest contributors to your big year in 2023?

Jacob Cutting (JC): Just trying to stay positive, through all the ups and downs. Being able to turn the page after something that didn’t go my way.

DG: What one or two moments or races stand out to you from 2023 as your favourite accomplishments?

JC: Definitely my first Meadowlands win and the Dan Patch at Running Aces.

DG: You have raced at a good handful of different tracks now. Which is currently your favourite and why?

JC: Meadowlands, for sure, it’s tough to get opportunities but when you do, you’re definitely under the spotlight.

DG: You have a stable with your parents. Do you have a favourite horse in your family stable and why is he/she your favourite?

JC: Hard to not get attached to them all but Sin MachQueen would be the old man of the stable and he’s been many places with me and gone through all the ups and downs of the business.

DG: At what age did you know you wanted to be a harness racing driver?

JC: I really didn’t have much interest in being in the business when I was younger -- it was all about sports -- but probably when I was about 16 is when I decided that was the path I wanted to take.

DG: In the past, I remember you telling me that you eventually could transition to being more of a trainer/driver than a catch-driver. Do you still feel the same about that?

JC: I really enjoy both aspects of training and driving. I’ll just have to wait it out and see where it takes me.

DG: If you weren't in the harness racing business, what do you think you might be doing?

JC: I have no idea where I could be honestly. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

DG: Football, baseball, basketball or hockey?

JC: Football and hockey all day long

DG: What do you like to do for fun on days off from racing?

JC: What's a day off? (laughs).

DG: Favourite food when you're splurging for a special meal?

JC: A good cut of steak.

DG: Where do you want to be in five years?

JC: I’ll say I dream pretty big ... but I like to keep my future goals to myself.

DG: Thanks to Jake for participating, and we wish him lots of continued success in 2024 and beyond.

(Running Aces)