“I know records are meant to be broken, but Herve is one of those guys -- he’s like Madonna or anyone with a one-word name: Herve. It’s unimaginable that [breaking his record] can happen."
Entering Wednesday, Palone was 13 wins from 15,000 career victories. Only one driver in North American harness racing history has reached that level: Herve Filion, who has held the sport’s No. 1 spot in lifetime wins since 1971. Filion, who turned 72 in February, won 15,180 races in his career, with his most recent triumph coming in 2010.
“I guess it is sneaking up there,” Palone said. “I hate to put a number in my head because then it always seems tougher to reach. It’s easier when you find out when you’ve passed them.”
Palone, a western Pennsylvania native who calls The Meadows his home track, has won at least 532 races every year beginning in 1992 -- a span of 20 seasons. No one in North America has won more races during that period. In fact, since the start of Palone’s career in 1982, he has won 1,301 more races than any driver.
In 2010, Palone was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. Six times he has won or shared Harness Tracks of America’s Driver of the Year Award: 2009, 2008, 2004, 2003, 2000 and 1999. He led North America in wins in 2004, 2000 and 1999. He has finished among the top four in victories 19 of the last 20 years.
“With all the years of hard work and all the horses I’ve gotten to race for everybody, it’s a satisfying accomplishment,” Palone said. “I decided to stay here and grind it out in Pennsylvania, which turned out to be the right move for me. It’s always been nice because I’ve always been able to race a lot of the better horses here and the numbers speak for themselves. It’s pretty elite company.
“I race for all the right people. It’s so much a trainers’ game anymore. It’s all about the accounts and the accounts you keep happy.”
Palone, who turned 50 in February, shows no signs of slowing down. His 139 wins this year rank No. 2 in North America, just nine behind Canadian Billy Davis Jr.
Last season, Palone won two Breeders Crown races with Sweet Lou and Uncle Peter, captured the $500,000 Beal Memorial with Dejarmbro, and the $330,000 Progress Pace with Westwardho Hanover.
“I still enjoy it; it’s still just a lot of fun,” Palone said. “I’m just a real competitive person. I’m hard on myself when I lose and I’ve always been that way in sports, whether it was basketball or football or baseball. That’s what I loved so much about harness racing, it was something I could do and be competitive.
“I’m 50 years old and I’m able to compete at a high level. It’s just a dream come true. If anyone that does this can tell you they don’t enjoy winning, whether it’s a $5,000 claimer or stakes race, it’s crazy. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t like to make that turn and head back to the winner’s circle.”
Palone has been the leading driver at The Meadows for more than two decades, but takes nothing for granted.
“I don’t want to ever let up,” Palone said. “If you’re out there and that trainer hires you for that race, that’s a pretty important race for him. He’s got to look at that horse seven days a week so it’s the least I can do to be prepared for the race and drive the best race possible. There’s no excuse for no preparation. I come in here and feel I’m pretty prepared for the race card.
“I guess it has something to do with ego. You obviously have to have an ego to want to win races and be upset with yourself when you don’t. I just love it. It’s the greatest job in the world.”
As for the pursuit of Filion’s all-time record for wins, Palone would rather not know.
“I don’t even want to think about it yet,” Palone said. “I know records are meant to be broken, but Herve is one of those guys – he’s like Madonna or anyone with a one-word name: Herve. It’s unimaginable that [breaking his record] can happen. I remember as a kid watching ‘Racing from Yonkers’ with Herve and Carmine]Abbatiello] -- those guys were my heroes.”
Palone, though, hopes other drivers challenge whatever records he can establish.
“Whatever records you break, you hope someone comes and breaks them again because that means harness racing is doing great and the sport is flourishing,” he said. “That’s the most important thing.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.