Brian Zendt drove the 2,000th winner of his career when he piloted Hall Of Memories to victory in Wednesday’s sixth race at the Meadows.
Zendt credited his success to such trainers as his father, Bill Zendt, and Walter 'Boots' Dunn for giving him the opportunity to drive well-prepared stock.
“I never really set goals,” Zendt said, “but I guess maybe I’ve had a pretty good past couple years --- driving the better horses for Dad and Boots helps, too.”
Also a trainer, Zendt and his wife, Dawn, operate a stable that they recently downsized after Dawn suffered a wrist injury while barrel racing.
“We had seven or eight for a while, but we’re down to four now,” he said. “That’s a good number for the summer.”
Among his accomplishments, Zendt guided Hidden Viggorish to her 2008 world record mile of 1:53.1 at the Meadows, and he frequently drove Always Cam, who went on to capture the 2004 Breeders Crown Mare Pace. Zendt said he’ll continue to train and drive — at least for now.
“You see guys like Dickie Stillings doing it — I don’t know how,” he said. “More power to them, but I get worn out now.”
In addition to his own achievements, he’s a member of one of the sport’s most successful families. Bill, the son of noted horseman Wilbur Zendt, has compiled 3,044 wining drives while his son, Phillip, serves as his second trainer and has begun conditioning horses for his own account. Brian’s stepmother, Leslie Zendt, is the trainer of such top trotters as Sir Caviar, fastest older gelding ever at the Meadows, and has rolled up 87 wins as an amateur driver. Wilbur, the Zendt family patriarch, is credited with 579 winning drives --- he may have more, but some of his earliest wins may pre-date modern record-keeping. Boots Dunn, Leslie’s father, captured six national UDR titles and retired with 1,149 wins.
One more. Brian’s sister, Bethann, is married to Dave Palone, who on July 5 became the 'winningest' driver in North American harness racing history with 15,181 victories, and he’s padded his total since then.
Thus, the extended Zendt-Palone clan has accounted for at least 22,132 driving victories, which is a heckuva lot better than your family average. But horses don’t necessarily dominate table talk at family gatherings.
“You can’t avoid it, but you try to get away from it a little bit,” Brian Zendt said. “It’s more about the kids these days.”
(Meadows)