2025 driver Bios
DEXTER DUNN
Born: 9/1/1989 – Birthplace: New Zealand – Resides: Millstone, NJ
Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year (5): 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019.
Hambletonian Oaks wins (1): Bella Bellini, 2021.
* Won the 2021 Hambletonian Oaks with Bella Bellini, trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman.
* Bella Bellini was the 2021 Dan Patch Award winner for best 3-year-old female trotter.
* Has driven in six Hambletonian finals. Last year, Dunn drove Amazing Catch, who finished third from post 10 at odds of 41-1. It was Dunn’s best finish in a Hambletonian final.
* Dunn finished fourth in the final three times, with filly Jiggy Jog S in 2022, Amigo Volo in 2020, and Soul Strong in 2019. Amigo Volo and Soul Strong both started from post 10.
* In addition to winning the Hambletonian Oaks with Bella Bellini, Dunn hit the board with Millies Possesion (second) in 2019 and with Panem (third) in 2020.
* Top wins this year include the Grade 2 MGM Yonkers Trot, the first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, with Super Chapter.
* He is the regular driver and co-owner of pacing mare Twin B Joe Fresh, the 2024 Dan Patch Horse of the Year. He also drove 2022 Horse of the Year Bulldog Hanover.
* A native of New Zealand, Dunn moved to the U.S. in the summer of 2018.
* Dunn won 2,226 races in New Zealand, where he led the Premiership in victories for 10 consecutive years before moving to the States.
* U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year five times, from 2019-2022, 2024.
* Led all drivers in North America in purses in 2024, 2022, 2021 and 2020. Set his career high for purses in 2024, with $16.6 million.
* Has won more than 2,300 races in North America and totaled nearly $85 million in purses.
* Won the 2015 World Driving Championship representing New Zealand.
YANNICK GINGRAS
Born: 8/4/1979 – Birthplace: Greenfield Park, Quebec – Resides: Allentown, NJ
Hall of Fame: Class of 2022.
Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year (2): 2017, 2014.
Hambletonian wins (1): Karl, 2024.
Hambletonian Oaks wins (6): Sorella, 2020; Manchego, 2018; Ariana G, 2017; All The Time, 2016; Wild Honey, 2015; Lifetime Pursuit, 2014.
* Won his first Hambletonian in 2024 with Karl for trainer Nancy Takter.
* The most recent driver to win the Hambletonian in back-to-back years was John Campbell in 1987 with Mack Lobell and 1988 with Armbro Goal.
* Finished second three times in 11 previous Hambletonian finals. He was runner-up with Ready For Moni in 2020, Southwind Frank in 2016, and the filly Mission Brief in 2015. Southwind Frank’s setback came by a nose to Marion Marauder, who went on to win the Trotting Triple Crown (Hambletonian, Yonkers Trot, Kentucky Futurity).
* Holds the record for most driving wins in the Hambletonian Oaks with six. The nearest active driver is Tim Tetrick, who is tied for second with four.
* Won the 2020 Oaks with Sorella for trainer Nancy Takter. His previous five victories came for Takter’s father, Jimmy, in consecutive years, 2014 through 2018.
* Ranks fourth among all drivers in history in career purses, with more than $250 million.
* Led the sport in purses four consecutive years, from 2014-2017, and occupied the top spot again in 2023. He has been no worse than third in purses each of the past 13 years.
* Has won nearly 9,400 races in his career.
* A third-generation horseman from Quebec, Gingras arrived in the U.S. in 2001 and established himself as a top driver at Yonkers Raceway.
* In 2003, Gingras received the Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association and in 2004 he moved his base to the Meadowlands. He has won eight Big M driving titles, most recently in 2023.
* Has sat behind three Dan Patch Horse of the Year winners: Tall Dark Stranger in 2020, Hannelore Hanover in 2017, and JK She’salady in 2014.
* Known for his association with Hall of Fame pacer Foiled Again, who retired in 2018 as the richest horse in harness racing history with $7.63 million in lifetime earnings. The gelding won 109 races, ninth most by a pacer in more than 50 years.
BJORN GOOP
Born: 10/13/1976 – Birthplace: Sweden – Resides: Sweden
* Making his first appearance in a Hambletonian final. Drove in an elimination in 2016 but failed to advance.
* Has won more than 8,000 races in his career.
* Top international victories include three wins in the Prix d’Amerique and three triumphs in the Elitloppet.
* No driver has ever won the Prix d’Amerique, Elitloppet and Hambletonian.
* Drove four races in the U.S. in 2024, including a third-place finish with Ideal San Leandro in the International Trot at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
* Finished second in the 2015 International Trot with Timoko.
* Was second in the 2016 Peter Haughton Memorial with Victor Gio IT at the Meadowlands.
* Inducted into Sweden’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
* Son of Hall of Famer Olle Goop.
JAMES MacDONALD
Born: 1/10/1986 – Birthplace: Prince Edward Island – Resides: Guelph, Ontario
O’Brien Award Driver of the Year (4): 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021.
* Made his Hambletonian debut in 2023. Finished fifth with Southwind Coors in their elimination and seventh in the final.
* Finished sixth in the 2024 Hambletonian final with Private Access.
* In the Hambletonian Oaks in 2023, MacDonald guided Righteous Resolve to third-place finishes in her elimination and the final. In 2024, he finished 10th in the Oaks final with Drawn Impression, who started from post 10 and made a break.
* Notched three major triumphs at the Meadowlands in 2024: The Meadowlands Pace with Legendary Hanover and two Breeders Crowns, with Lady Landia and Coach Stefanos.
* Has received four consecutive O’Brien Awards as Canada’s top driver.
* In 2024, he led all drivers in Canada in wins and purses for the fourth straight year.
* Last year, he became the first Canadian-based driver to surpass $12 million in purses in a single season, finishing with $12.3 million.
* Got career win 4,000 on Feb. 28 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
* Has earned more than $80 million (Canadian) in purses in his career.
* Won the 2017 World Driving Championship, hosted by Canada that year.
* Brother of drivers Mark MacDonald and Anthony MacDonald.
ANDREW McCARTHY
ANDREW McCARTHY
Born: 3/31/1986 – Birthplace: Bathurst, Australia – Resides: Swedesboro, NJ
Hambletonian wins (1): Ramona Hill, 2020.
* Won the 2020 Hambletonian with filly Ramona Hill, trained by Tony Alagna. It was McCarthy’s second appearance in a Hambletonian final.
* Ramona Hill was the fourth female trotter to win the Hambletonian since it moved to The Meadowlands in 1981 and the 15th overall to capture the sport’s premier event for 3-year-old trotters. She received the 2020 Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old filly trotter.
* Has driven in five Hambletonian finals. He was fourth in 2024 with Sig Sauer, who later won the Kentucky Futurity (the third jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown) and a Breeders Crown on his way to Dan Patch Award divisional honors.
* His best finish in the Hambletonian Oaks came in 2024 when he was second with Buy A Round, who surged from eighth with a quarter mile to go and missed by a half-length.
* A native of Australia, McCarthy has raced regularly in North America since 2007. He has won more than 3,700 races and $85 million in purses since arriving.
* His brothers Todd, who moved to the U.S. in 2020, and Luke, who raced in the U.S. in 2009, are also successful drivers and his father John is a highly regarded trainer.
* The McCarthy brothers all have won million-dollar races, with Luke capturing the Miracle Mile multiple times in Australia, Andy winning the 2020 Hambletonian and 2020 Mohawk Million (with Venerate), and Todd winning the 2022 Hambletonian (with Cool Papa Bell) and 2022 North America Cup (with Pebble Beach).
TODD McCARTHY
Born: 2/24/1993 – Birthplace: Australia – Resides: Bordentown, NJ
Hambletonian wins (1): Cool Papa Bell, 2022.
* Made his Hambletonian debut in 2022 and drove Cool Papa Bell to the biggest upset in the history of the event, winning at odds of 52-1 for trainer Jim Campbell. Cool Papa Bell received the Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old male trotter.
* The Hambletonian was one of two million-dollar races won by McCarthy in 2022. He also captured the North America Cup, for 3-year-old pacers, with Pebble Beach at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
* Has driven in two Hambletonian finals. He finished eighth with longshot Mars Hill in 2024.
* He finished fifth in the 2024 Hambletonian Oaks, with R Melina.
* Moved to the U.S. in August 2020. He won 1,109 races in Australia prior to his move.
* In North America, McCarthy has won more than 1,200 races and $39 million in purses.
* Set his career high for purses in 2024, with $9.66 million, which was seventh best among drivers in North America.
* Received the 2021 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
* His accomplishments Down Under included winning the 2016 Australasian Young Drivers Championship and multiple New South Wales state and metropolitan premiership driving titles. He represented Australia at the 2019 World Driving Championship.
DAVID MILLER
Born: 12/10/1964 – Birthplace: Columbus, OH – Resides: Robbinsville, NJ
Hall of Fame: Class of 2014.
Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year: 2016, 2015, 2003.
Hambletonian Oaks wins (1): Personal Style, 2012.
* Won the 2012 Hambletonian Oaks with Personal Style, trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman.
* Finished fifth in the 2024 Hambletonian final with TCI at odds of 4-1, the only time in his career that he has driven a horse in the final at odds lower than 7-1.
* Seeking his first Hambletonian trophy. In 2017, he drove What The Hill, who crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference in the stretch.
* Has three thirds in the final: Gimpanzee in 2019, Uncle Lasse in 2015, and Corky in 2013.
* Won the Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters in 2025 with mare Elista Hanover for trainer Annie Stoebe, in 2023 with mare M-M’s Dream for trainer Ron Burke, and in 2021 with stallion Beads for trainer Per Engblom.
* Last year, ranked fourth in purses among drivers in North America, with $10 million.
* Ranks No. 2 all time in purses with nearly $295 million and has finished among the top five in earnings 25 of the past 26 years. John Campbell, now president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society, holds the driving record for North American purses with just less than $300 million.
* Miller is No. 6 all-time in wins among North American drivers with more than 14,700.
* In 2003, Miller led the sport in purses and drove No Pan Intended to the Pacing Triple Crown and Horse of the Year honors.
* In 2016, he was the driver of Horse of the Year Award winner Always B Miki, who paced the then-fastest mile in harness racing history when he won in 1:46 at Lexington’s Red Mile.
* Miller was the regular driver of 2021 Horse of the Year winner Test Of Faith.
* In 2015, Miller set the record for Breeders Crown wins in a year with five.
* Miller, who received the 1993 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association, was already a standout in his native Ohio when he headed to the East Coast in the late 1990s and has been a force on the Grand Circuit ever since he made the move.
KEVIN OSCARSSON
Born: 1/26/1995 – Birthplace: Sweden – Resides: Sweden
* Appearing in his first Hambletonian Day.
* Prior to his drive with Sound Judgement in their Hambletonian Oaks elimination, his most recent previous start in the U.S. came at the age of 21 in the $1 million International Trot at Yonkers Raceway, where he finished fifth with Explosive De Vie. The horse was trained by his father, Jim Oscarsson.
* Drove 41 races, winning eight, in North America in 2012-13 while his dad operated a stable in the U.S. for two years.
* Never drove in a purse race at the Meadowlands prior to last week but drove in 14 qualifiers in 2013. Won a qualifier with a then 2-year-old Nuncio, who was trained by his father that season and went on to stardom in North America and Europe. Nuncio finished second in the 2014 Hambletonian, then while in the stable of trainer Jimmy Takter.
* Took over the family’s stable in Sweden when his father returned to the U.S. in 2023. Trains a stable of 50 horses.
LOUIS ROY
Born: 11/29/1989 – Birthplace: Rimouski, Quebec – Resides: Mississauga, Ontario
O’Brien Award Driver of the Year: 2019, 2018.
* Appearing for the first time in a Hambletonian final.
* Made his Hambletonian debut in 2023 with two horses in elims but failed to advance.
* Set a career high with more than $6 million in purses in 2024.
* Top win in 2024 came with 3-year-old male pacer Nijinsky in the million-dollar North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
* Approaching 3,000 career wins and $43 million in purses.
* Led Canadian drivers in purses with $6.79 million (Canadian) and wins with 413 in 2018.
* Spent six years competing, and dominating, on the Quebec fair circuit before making a name for himself at Hippodrome 3R (Trois-Rivières), which propelled him to regular drives on the Woodbine-Mohawk/Ontario circuit.
* Won the 2016 Gold Cup & Saucer with YS Lotus and received Canada’s Future Star Award.
* Roy is a graduate of the University of Quebec at Rimouski. For the first two years of his driving career, he also worked as a financial analyst for a telecommunications company.
TIM TETRICK
Born: 11/22/1981 – Birthplace: Flora, IL – Resides: Woolwich Township, NJ
Hall of Fame: Class of 2020.
Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year: 2013, 2012, 2008, 2007.
Hambletonian wins (1): Market Share, 2012.
Hambletonian Oaks wins (4): Heaven Hanover, 2023; Fashion Schooner, 2022; Bar Slide, 2010; Danae, 2007.
* Won the 2012 Hambletonian with Market Share, trained by Linda Toscano. Market Share received divisional Dan Patch Award honors and finished second to stablemate Chapter Seven for Trotter of the Year.
* Has finished second in the Hambletonian on four occasions, most recently with Oh Well in 2023. Also was second in 2021 with Spy Booth, 2013 with Smilin Eli, and 2008 with Crazed.
* Tetrick has won the Hambletonian Oaks four times, tied with Berndt Lindstedt for second most all time among drivers, with his two most recent victories coming back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. Yannick Gingras holds the record for Oaks wins, with six.
* Won the 2023 Hambletonian Oaks with Heaven Hanover for trainer Marcus Melander. She won from post 10 at odds of 28-1.
* Also won from post 10 in 2022 with Fashion Schooner for trainer Jim Campbell.
* His other Oaks wins came with Bar Slide for trainer Joe Holloway in 2010 and Danae for trainer George Teague Jr. in 2007.
* Ranks third in purses among all drivers in history with $282 million.
* Led the sport in purses in 2019 and 2018 as well as for seven consecutive years, 2007 through 2013.
* Ranks seventh in career wins in North America with more than 14,400.
* Won at least 500 races in 18 of the past 20 years. Has ranked among the Top 10 in victories in all 20 of those years.
* In 2007, Tetrick won a record 1,189 races and was named the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Rising Star Award winner as well as Driver of the Year. That season he became the first driver to lead the sport in both wins and purses (a then-record $18.3 million) in the same year since 1991.
* Was the regular driver of three Horse of the Year Award winners: Confederate in 2023, Shartin N in 2019, and Chapter Seven in 2012.
* Grew up in Illinois and followed his father, Tom D. Tetrick, into the sport. Brothers Tom T. and Trace also are involved in harness racing. Trace is the all-time leader in driving wins at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Scott Zeron
Born: 5/23/1989 – Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec – Resides: Campbell Hall, NY
Dan Patch Award Driver of the Year: 2023.
Hambletonian wins (3): Tactical Approach, 2023; Atlanta, 2018; Marion Marauder, 2016.
* In 2023, at the age of 34, became the 11th driver in history to win the Hambletonian at least three times. The other 10 are all in the Hall of Fame.
* A fourth victory would put Zeron in a tie for second most ever, joining Ben White, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, and Mike Lachance. The only driver with more Hambletonian trophies is John Campbell, with six.
* Captured the 2023 Hambletonian with Tactical Approach, trained by Nancy Takter. He won from post 10, the least advantageous starting spot at The Meadowlands, at 12-1 odds.
* Tactical Approach also won the Kentucky Futurity, giving him two of the three jewels in the Trotting Triple Crown, and a Breeders Crown. He was named 2023 Trotter of the Year.
* Zeron’s previous Hambletonian wins came in 2018 with Atlanta, trained by his father Rick, and in 2016 with Marion Marauder, trained by Paula Wellwood.
* Atlanta was the first female trotter since Continentalvictory in 1996 to win the Hambletonian. At the end of the season, she was named Trotter of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
* Marion Marauder went on to capture the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity to sweep the Trotting Triple Crown. Marion Marauder was the ninth Trotting Triple Crown winner and was named Trotter of the Year.
* With Marion Marauder, the then 27-year-old Zeron was the second-youngest driver to win the Hambletonian and youngest driver to win a harness racing Triple Crown.
* In 2023, Zeron reached the $10-million level in purses for the first time in his career, finishing with $10.07 million.
* Was the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s 2023 Driver of the Year.
* For his career, Zeron has won nearly 4,800 races and $115 million in purses.
* A native of Montreal, Zeron made a name for himself in Ontario before relocating to the U.S. near the end of 2013. He twice led all Canadian drivers in wins, in 2011 and 2010.
* Zeron received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
