Driving force: Palone wins No. 21,000
By Evan Pattak
For the Observer-Reporter
Already harness racing’s all-time winningest driver, Dave Palone passed yet another milestone Thursday at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows when he notched career win No. 21,000. The historic win came with Green Magic in the fifth race.
Although Palone, a Dry Tavern native and Washington resident, sets a new record with each victory, he indicated milestone wins remain special to him.
“I never had any number etched in stone, but I’m pretty proud of that number,” he said. “It’s nice to reach it. I feel like I maybe haven’t been pushing myself as hard. I’ve had a lot of half days, a lot more golf this year.”
Palone, who got his first win in 1982, has now been among harness racing’s elite drivers for more than three decades. He’s achieved at least 400 wins in each year since 1990 (except for the pandemic season of 2020), and his Universal Driver Rating throughout that lengthy period never was lower than .337.
For his career, Palone has logged more than 81,000 starts, and he’s earned nearly $162 million in purses. He was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.
Among his career highlights, Palone won the 2005 Little Brown Jug with Kelly O’Donnell’s P-Forty Seven, and he’s also won three Breeders Crowns (In Focus, Sweet Lou, Uncle Peter) and a pair of Jugettes (Numeric Hanover, Maudlin Hanover).
Palone says his most memorable win might be his lone victory in the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at his home track. He took the 1999 edition with Washington VC for trainer Ron Coyne, Jr.
“It was before family and friends, and I’d barely heard of the horse,” he said. “There weren’t many expectations there.”
These days, at 62, Palone drives mostly locally — and why not? He’s closing in on his 35th consecutive driving title at The Meadows.
“I started off racing in a completely different era,” he said, “but the drivers here today are a great group of guys. I really enjoy the camaraderie.”
Palone said he’ll continue to try to grind out wins as long as the effort remains challenging to him.
“I enjoy trying to figure out a new horse and a new race. I guess when that fire’s gone, it will be time to find something else to do. Whatever that something is, it will be with horses.”
And his advice to young drivers who hope someday to dethrone him?
“Show up for qualifiers,” he said. “Stick around for late races, and make yourself available for them. And when you’re not driving a race, pay attention to it.”