If not for Muscle Hill, harness racing driver Ron Pierce might have picked up his 7,000th career victory in the Hambletonian. Instead, the milestone triumph came one race after Pierce and Explosive Matter finished second to Muscle Hill
in trotting’s premier event last Saturday at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Pierce got his 7,000th win when he piloted Montecito N to a neck victory over Foiled Again in the Invitational on August 8 at the Big M. Pierce ranks 23rd in wins on the all-time list. Next ahead is Carmine Abbatiello with 7,170.
“When I was just starting out, 2,000 wins was a lot,” the 53-year-old Pierce said. “The greatest drivers in the world – like Stanley Dancer and Delvin Miller and Billy Haughton and Buddy Gilmour – they were only around 2,000 to 4,000 wins. I really looked up to those guys a lot. I used to look at the numbers they put up and think, ‘Wow.’ I never thought I would get to that level.
“But it’s a different ballgame now than it was then. Most of those guys trained and drove themselves. Catch drivers weren’t in demand like they are nowadays. Catch drivers today have a much greater opportunity to win more races.”
Pierce’s standing on the career earnings list is even more impressive than his victory total. Horses driven by Pierce have won $151 million, which puts Pierce behind only John Campbell ($264 million) and Mike Lachance ($178 million). Pierce leads all drivers in money won since the start of the year 2000, recently having topped $100 million for the period. He is the first driver to reach $100 million in a single decade.
“I’m more proud of the money than I am of the wins,” Pierce said. “I’m lucky to get a lot of good horses in the major races. I’m lucky to drive for a number of top trainers and owners.”
Pierce, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, was born in California and now lives in Clarksburg, New Jersey. He got his first win in 1976, but it wasn’t until 1990 that he became a fixture among the annual leaders in victories and purses. Pierce led all drivers in North America in earnings in 2004, when he was the regular driver of Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue, and has finished among the top six in 10 of the last 11 years.
Among his top triumphs, Pierce has won the Hambletonian twice (American Winner in 1993 and Donato Hanover in 2007), the North America Cup twice (Total Truth in 2006 and Well Said in 2009), the Meadowlands Pace twice (Dream Away in 1997 and Well Said in 2009) and the Little Brown Jug three times (Shady Character in 1998, Blissfull Hall in 1999 and Timesareachanging in 2004). He also has 18 Breeders Crown wins.
Had Pierce added a third Hambletonian trophy last Saturday, it would have been a win to remember in more ways than one. But there was no denying Muscle Hill, who won by six lengths and equaled the world record of 1:50.1 for the mile. It was Muscle Hill’s 13th consecutive victory since finishing second in his career debut.
“I knew Muscle Hill was a great colt, but I didn’t think he was going to get away from us like that,” Pierce said. “I figured that if I sat on his back, it would be him and me down the stretch. I didn’t think he would pull away the way he did. But that colt was just rearing and ready to go. He was just on cruise control.
“But there’s nothing wrong with second in the Hambletonian, either.”
For this year, Pierce has won 206 races and earned $6.5 million. He ranks third in earnings for the season.
“I still have a few good years left in my tank,” Pierce said. “As long as I’m healthy and have my reflexes, I’ll keep going.”
(Harness Racing Communications)