One month ago, driver Matt Athearn reached the 1,000-win milestone while putting the finishing touches on a notable season in the sulky that is sure to have set up the 25-year-old Maine native for more highlights in his burgeoning career.
As one of a handful of young drivers trying to raise their profile competing at The Meadowlands during the winter months, Athearn joined host Dave Little as a guest on the New Jersey racetrack's In The Sulky segment last weekend and discussed his harness racing roots.
Athearn noted that his parents, Mark and Gretchen Athearn, have been influential in his career.
"They've done an unbelievable job. I was blessed with two great parents," said Athearn. "My dad has helped me a lot on the driving side and my mom is a bigtime worker in the barn and really helped me learn how to take care of horses off the track."
From 2019 to 2022, Athearn posted million-dollar seasons three times racing mostly in his home state of Maine at Scarboroughs Downs, First Tracks Cumberland, Bangor Raceway and the fairs.
"I liked Maine a lot. I really got meet a lot of great guys. I met Walter Case Jr., who was a lot of help as a driver. I liked Maine, it was just time for me to move on and try to improve my career and step forward."
With racing opportunities growing in Massachusetts and his family's stable expanding within the New England region, Athearn turned his focus last year to Plainridge Park, where he excelled with a boost of horsepower from his uncle Jimmy Nickerson's stable.
"I got to drive a lot of nice horses and was given a big opportunity from my uncle Jimmy Nickerson, getting to drive his stable as the leading trainer at Plainridge. And I just got to drive nice horses and learn to drive them, and that's all we really need as a driver, real good horses."
Driving 256 winners with his mounts earning more than $3.2 million in 2023, Athearn bested his previous career-high win count by more than 100 victories and earnings by more than $2 million.
"It was a great season. I mean, unbelievable. It was a new experience for me having that amount of power and being able to drive that many horses. It was really unreal and I hope to improve off it this year."