What kind of car do you drive? A 2010 Hyundai Sonata. 184,000 miles on it. Best car I’ve ever had, and got it from a track buddy that owns his own family dealership in NY. Favorite dinner meal? Snack? I make a mean blackened salmon. Old Bay dry-rubbed chicken wings. Outside of Meadowlands, what is your favorite track to visit? It’s really hard to beat the Red Mile. Everybody just “relaxes” there, and has a good time, including the horses. Lexington, KY is horse country USA and it’s also a very good restaurant town. I love trying some new places every year. What is your favorite event in racing? I’m a little biased there, but it’s no doubt the Hambletonian. The energy at the Meadowlands on Hambo Day is unbelievable, even if it’s 100 degrees! I’m lucky enough to be part of harness racing’s only national television broadcast, so it’s a work day, but always a fun day. How often is racing on your mind? Probably about half the day. Depending on what day it is. With all the jobs I do, I always have to be thinking ahead. Whether its scheduling, odds-making, handicapping, or broadcasting. Plus, Facebook and Twitter social media sharing. It takes lots of effort. What is your favorite thing to do outside of racing? Eat! Cook something at home. That’s how I de-stress. What is your favorite sport to watch? Team? I’m a New York Yankees and New York Rangers fan. So, it’s baseball and hockey. What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don’t know? That I’m a published author. DRF Press released my Harnessing Winners back in 2009. I got to put my journalism degree from St. John’s to use! What is one word that describes harness racing for you? Action. How did you get started in the sport? Going to the track with my Dad back in the early 80’s. The Meadowlands was the place to be back then, with crowds of over 20,000 almost every night. It was very exciting to see the very best in the sport compete five or six nights a week. What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten about harness racing? Don’t bet your eating money. Or gas money. What was your favorite moment in harness racing? Doing my very first live broadcast of the Hambletonian on CBS Sports Network in 2012. It was historic in that Linda Toscano became the first female trainer to win the Hambo. And, our show went almost perfectly for the 90 minutes. That’s very rare! But, it was a tremendous accomplishment for our whole team. I felt really good about it. And, have been fortunate enough to do it every year since. Anyone on social media can see that food is a passion for you. Did you ever consider pursuing that passion? Actually, I did, in a sort of way. When I left the Meadowlands in 2011, I went to work part-time as a supermarket night manager. That’s related to food, right? And I still have that job one or two nights a week. What do you think is the best bet in racing? A non-jackpot Pick Six. I’m not a huge fan of the jackpot, one-winner-only thing, but I have to live with that. A Pick Six, with carryovers along the way give you a chance to make a life-changing score. You were mostly out of the sport for a few years before returning to The Meadowlands. How did the time away change you? I needed a break from the grind. I was burnt out. So, in the end, it was a good thing. The pressure and anxiety of that year (2010-2011) was overwhelming, when it looked like the track was going to close. When I came back, I had a brand new feel for it, and I think it showed in my work. How have you changed as a handicapper over the last 20 years? I’ve changed a lot! We don’t have the “edges” we had years ago. Nowadays, everybody sees qualifiers and everybody knows how to “watch a race.” You just have to adapt, and we’ve seen it all. Faster horses. More speed. Better equipment. Different training methods. The game changes constantly. You sit out in the open at The Meadowlands when broadcasting. Is being so visible sometimes frustrating? Not really. We enjoy interacting with the fans, except the ones that want to come over and argue. Ninety percent of it is good and we usually love to talk horses and betting. When on the set, we understand we are the “face of the Meadowlands,” and I get it. But, sometimes, we don’t always have the answer. People have to understand that. If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be? More television coverage, and some sort of universal rules for Judges at every track. It’s too subjective and drives the fans crazy on disqualifications. Hey, I can dream! How do you view the future of harness racing? I’m a lot more bullish now than I was a few years ago, especially here in New Jersey. People seem to be forgetting that the sport in NJ was just about dead. It has been revitalized on all fronts due to the hard work of many people behind-the-scenes to forward our cause. Breeding in our state is back in solid standing. Betting is still strong. The State of New Jersey is back in our corner, after abandoning us at one point not too long ago. We have very strong leadership that has put harness racing back on its feet. Has your career in the sport progressed as you expected? No way! It’s been a real roller-coaster ride. I’ve had a lot of ups, and downs, but right now, it seems like an up. I get to anchor the coverage at the Meadowlands. I get to broadcast as one of the hosts during Little Brown Jug Week in Ohio. I added the Grand Circuit two weeks at the Red Mile to the resume this year. And, I hope to go back and work the Breeders Crown again this year out at Hoosier Park. That ain’t bad. If you had one wish in life, what would you wish for? Good health. Time for the stretch drive. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Best Horse Ever: Muscle Hill Best Trainer Ever: Ron Burke Best Driver Ever: John Campbell Lasix – Yes or No?: Yes Best race you ever saw: Meadowlands Pace between Somebeachsomewhere and Art Official Best place to eat near Meadowlands: Angelo’s Ristorante in Lyndhurst. Classic, old school Italian