Newton “Yogi” Sheridan has been chosen as the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Amateur Driver of the Year for 2024 in a vote conducted by USHWA with the amateur driving clubs.
Sheridan, 46, was emotional when told he was chosen.
“It's humbling for me to get the award and I'm honoured,” said Sheridan, who thanked God for his blessings and thanked his wife, Nickeya, and four children, Naeem, Mekhi, Khalani and Khalia, for their constant support. “I do this for them.”
Unlike many other amateur drivers, harness racing is Sheridan’s only profession. He currently trains four horses, one of which he owns; he also owns a piece of two others with his partners, Team Tritton.
Sheridan is having a career year on all fronts, with career highs in wins (77), seconds (61) and thirds (51). In 2024, he hit the board on 189 occasions from 391 starts, an outstanding top-three percentage of 48.
Although he has recorded multiple wins at seven different tracks this season, he has recorded the most at the toughest place to get a victory, The Meadowlands. Sheridan’s 25 wins at The Big M — 22 against amateur company and three against the pros — were most impressive. He is currently 14th in The Meadowlands’ driver standings, with every pilot in front of him having at least 100 more starts. Of those with more dash wins, Sheridan’s 14.5 win percentage is on par with Todd McCarthy and higher than Jordan Stratton, Andy Miller, Tim Tetrick, Jonathan Ahle, Brett Beckwith and Braxten Boyd.
Meadowlands Amateur Driving Club President Joe Lee said he’s proud of Sheridan and what he’s accomplished this year.
“He's been working really hard and driving both the amateur races and overnight races, and Yogi is very safe out there, which is first and foremost,” said Lee, who won the Amateur Award himself in 2017. “He makes our races a lot cleaner and a lot safer when he's got a horse in the event.
“And he's done a really good job of keeping a horse going in the stretch and getting them to dig in when someone's getting at him late in the mile.
“Certainly, there's been a couple of times this year when coming off the turn I'm like, ‘Oh, I still have a lot of horse left and I can maybe run him down,’ but I couldn't catch him.
“Obviously, he's gotten some really good opportunities this year to drive a little power, but even when you have the power, you have to put the horses in a good spot.”
Sheridan is also tied for 14th in the driver standings at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where his win percentage of 32.8 is the best of the top 25.
Sheridan will be feted at the Dan Patch Awards banquet, presented by Caesars Entertainment, at Rosen Centre in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.
(USHWA)