Carter Dalgety has needed little time to make a big impression.

The 21-year-old Dalgety, who earlier this year became the quickest junior driver to reach 100 wins in New Zealand history, recently arrived in the U.S. to spend a couple months observing harness racing firsthand on this side of the world. Not even two weeks into his stay, he made an impact here as well.

On July 19, Dalgety made his stateside debut and picked up his first North American win when he guided Chris Ryder-trained Handlelikeaporsche to victory at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The next night, Dalgety got his first Meadowlands triumph with Stonebridge Reef, another horse from the Ryder stable.

“I didn’t expect it to be this good this quickly, but I’ll take it,” said Dalgety, who is staying with longtime family friend and four-time Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year Dexter Dunn. “Initially, I wasn’t too worried about driving. I was just going to come over and help out in a few barns and sort of travel around and see how everybody does it here compared to Down Under. Dex kind of encouraged me to give the driving a go.

“He’s made everything so much easier for me. I don’t think it would be going as good without him.”

Dunn, who led New Zealand’s premiership in wins 10 times before moving to the U.S. in 2018, worked and drove for Dalgety’s parents, Cran and Chrissie, and the family’s Kentuckiana Lodge.

“Growing up with him, it’s been pretty cool to see his whole journey right from the start to where he is now,” said Dalgety. “It’s quite incredible.”

Dalgety is on his own incredible journey. In March, he got his 100th win in only his 550th start, which according to Harness Racing New Zealand stats set the record for fewest drives by a junior driver to reach the milestone. Making it more memorable, Dalgety got the triumph in a Group 1 race with All You Need Is Me, a horse trained by his parents.

It was Dalgety’s second Group 1 victory in his career, which has seen him post 117 lifetime wins so far in New Zealand. He ranks No. 1 in wins this year in the junior driver’s premiership, with 38, and seventh in premiership.

Off the track, Dalgety in March received the Valachi Downs Young Scholarship Award, which provides funding to help individuals under 35 advance their careers in the equine industry. Dalgety was the first harness racing driver to get the scholarship.

“That was really cool,” said Dalgety. “It’s not something I expected, of course, because it was such a big pool of people. When I got the nod, I was just over the moon.”

Dalgety, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a double major in supply chain management and global business, also runs his own clothing line, Fuego Collection, in addition to working with horses.

“The university stuff definitely helps with that, managing supply chains and logistics, importing and exporting,” said Dalgety. “Hoodies have been my biggest seller. I made up a couple designs and still have a lot more to release. It’s so interesting, with marketing and working out what people like. It’s ever changed.”

Dalgety used some of his scholarship award for his trip to the U.S.

“I’ve always wanted to come over here,” said Dalgety. “My family came over this time last year, but I waited at home; I wanted a little bit more experience driving. I thought another 12 months might have been perfect. I turned 21 in May and it’s a little bit quieter in winter in New Zealand, the racing. I thought why not. I talked to Dexter and here I am.”

In getting his first U.S. win, Dalgety and Handlelikeaporsche settled in second from post seven before prevailing in a stretch duel over favourite Declan Seelster. Sent off at 11-1 odds, Handlelikeaporsche won by a half-length.

“It probably wasn’t really expected, which made it a little better, I think,” said Dalgety. “It was a thrill, and maybe a bit of relief as well just to get off the mark. It was one of the greatest feelings ever.”

And it was followed by another great feeling the next day when Dalgety guided Stonebridge Reef to a career-best 1:48.4 triumph at The Meadowlands. Dalgety and Stonebridge Reef were fourth at the quarter, came first-over heading to the half, were on top by 4-1/2 lengths in the stretch and won by 1-1/2 lengths.

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Carter Dalgety (right) with Dexter Dunn and Stonebridge Reef

“He just felt so good I thought I’d get him out on the front,” said Dalgety. “As soon as he got the lead, he just swelled up and found another gear. He was flicking his ears around the last turn and just exploded up the straight. There wasn’t a real point where I thought I had it [won], but I thought the way he felt that he would have been hard to chase down. As soon as they got close, he just kept kicking. It was amazing, really.

“For any harness boy in the world, you watch The Meadowlands, and to get a drive there was absolutely amazing in the first place,” said Dalgety. “But then to win like that, it was a dream come true.”

Dalgety has 10 drives over the next several days — eight at Harrah’s Philadelphia and two at The Meadowlands. He also has been busy at qualifiers, driving horses for trainers such as Ron Burke, Andrew Harris, Nifty Norman, Brett Pelling and Linda Toscano.

“Nobody really knows me at all and for them to put me on their horses is pretty cool,” said Dalgety. “I just hope that I can repay them.”

Dalgety expects to stay in the U.S. for about another six weeks, then return to New Zealand as some of his horses there return from layoffs. In the meantime, he will soak up the experience here.

“It’s been a dream start,” said Dalgety. “I just got to keep riding the wave.”

(USTA)