Canadian driver Colin Kelly has officially made the move south to pursue opportunities in the United States.

Kelly, who had been a mainstay on the Ontario circuit, cited a combination of factors that led to his decision in a conversation on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

"Things are kind of slow there right now; there's short fields and there's not a lot of work," Kelly told Trot Insider. "It's kind of a good time to try it.”

Kelly is currently working with trainer Jared Bako — a driving force in the move — assisting with Bako's training duties at Mark Ford Training Center outside Middletown, New York while gradually integrating into the U.S. driving ranks.

“I went to Yonkers last night, we raced three there. I'm just kind of playing assistant trainer for Jared here for a while, just so I can kind of get myself out there and meet some people and go to qualifiers and try and find some work.”

One of the biggest draws for Kelly is the sheer volume of racing opportunities in the U.S. compared to Ontario. With major tracks like Yonkers Raceway, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Pocono Downs offering consistent racing action, Kelly sees the potential for significant growth. 

"I'm going to give it a go and stick it out and see if I can get some work... go to Saratoga or Monticello and maybe try a little Pocono if I can get there and if I can get some work, just kind of try and figure out where I've got to go and try and come up with a schedule here in the first two weeks."

Since launching his driving career in 2012, the Nova Scotia native has steadily built his resume, recording seven consecutive million-dollar seasons in the sulky. As of press time, Kelly sports 2,064 victories with $12.8 million in purses.

In 2021, he was the leading driver at both Grand River Raceway and The Raceway at Western Fair District, finishing the year with 278 wins — ranking him second in the country. Before making the move, Kelly celebrated a major career milestone on Sept. 28, 2024, at Flamboro Downs. Under the lights, he earned his 2,000th career victory in the ninth race while piloting Azucar Jack. 

(Standardbred Canada)