"I didn’t expect to get off to such a great start this year. I expected to do well, but not as well as I’m doing."
Joe Bongiorno is sitting behind more horses than ever this year, which has the 22-year-old driver sitting on a breakout season. Bongiorno, who entered Thursday ranked fifth in wins among all drivers in North America, is on pace to shatter his career highs for starts, victories, and purses.
Bongiorno has visited the winner’s circle 104 times this year, which puts him only 88 victories shy of the career-best 192 he posted in 2015. He is on pace for 560 wins and $2.94 million in purses. His previous high for earnings, also established last year, is $1.97 million.
In addition, the New Jersey native sits among the top five drivers in wins at three different racetracks -- Freehold and the Meadowlands in his home state, plus Northfield Park in Ohio.
“It’s been an excellent start to the year,” Bongiorno said. “I’ve just been driving quality horses. I’m traveling a lot, just trying to sit behind as many horses as I possibly can. It’s a struggle at times. Traveling is exhausting and takes a toll on your body, but it’s worth it, a hundred percent. When you’re racking up wins, it’s exciting.
“I’m very fortunate to drive for a number of great trainers and I’m getting a lot of very good mounts now," said Bongiorno. "I also didn’t expect to be going to Northfield. That was a last-minute thing and so far it’s paying off very well.”
Bongiorno was the 2010 Amateur Driver of the Year, awarded by the U.S. Harness Writers Association, and was the USHWA Monticello-Goshen chapter’s 2011 Rising Star Award winner. He is the grandson of horseman Harold “Sonny” Dancer, who passed away earlier this week, and joined his parents, Barbara and Bob, in getting involved in harness racing. He has won 775 races in his career and $5.95 million in purses.
This year, Bongiorno is second in wins at Freehold, tied for fourth at the Meadowlands, and fifth at Northfield Park. His 26.4 win percentage at Freehold leads all regulars and his 22.5 win percentage at Northfield trails only Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and Aaron Merriman.
“I just try to improve each year,” Bongiorno said. “When I was first starting out, I wasn’t as patient as I should have been. Over the years, I’ve become a lot calmer. That’s what I’ve learned the most.
“It’s not that you’re young, it’s that you’re not driving many horses. When you’re only driving two races on a card, you’re pressing to do good and impress people. That’s when you make mistakes. You have to race horses the way they like to be raced.”
Bongiorno’s career highlight so far came just last November when he won, in a dead heat, the $489,400 Valley Victory Stakes for two-year-old trotters with Make Or Miss for trainer Ron Burke. It was Bongiorno’s first drive in a race worth more than $150,000.
“It was something you couldn’t dream of,” Bongiorno said. “I got lucky to pick the drive up; it was like a last-second thing. I fell into the right place at the right time and it just worked out for me.”
On Saturday night, Bongiorno will drive millionaire pacer Bettors Edge in the Open Handicap at the Meadowlands. It will be the Burke-trained seven-year-old gelding’s seasonal debut. Bongiorno drove Bettors Edge four times last year, with the results including a win in a conditioned race at the Meadowlands and a third-place finish in the American-National Stakes at Balmoral Park.
“It seems like he came back excellent,” Bongiorno said about Bettors Edge. “I was very impressed with his last qualifier. That was the best he’s ever been since I’ve sat behind him. He seemed super sound and steered great. I love the horse. He’s always tried his hardest for me. He’s just a very, very nice horse.”
Bongiorno is hoping to continue his strong season, but not looking too far ahead.
“I take it slow,” Bongiorno said. “I try to drive every race the same. I don’t really panic over if it’s a bigger race, or just a regular claiming race. It’s all the same and you just try to stay calm and poised, that’s it. I’m going to give a horse the best shot they’ve got to win. I’ll put horses in play and try to get them up close and hopefully it works out.
“But as good as the year has started out it definitely could be a breakout year. Hopefully, I keep getting opportunities and the results are there.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.