How Fat Is Too Fat To Drive Harness Horses?

[swoodall]

Full disclosure I weight 203 and according to weight charts 20 pounds too fat for my 6' frame.

But I look like Twiggy compared to some of these drivers!

Some of these guys out weight me and are several inches shorter than me.

Poor horses are going lame dragging these fat asses around the track.

Listed weights:

Curt Grummel  250
Chris Petrelli  250
J D Finn  240
Jamaica Patton  240
Derek Watiker  235
Mark Schullstrom  230
Justin Roberson  228
Nick Clegg  225
Brent Davis 225
Mark Zuccarello  225
Nick Turley  220
Beau Brown  220
Tim Deaton  220
Gary Rath  215
Robert Taylor  215
Jason Haynes  215
George Luster  214
Don Harmon  200
James Yoder  200
Tim Driver  200

Weight isn't supposed to matter with the design of the bikes but these guys don't have a lot of wins!

If you enjoy several helpings at the dinner table maybe driving horses isn't your thing?

[dinkadoo]

Full disclosure I weight 203 and according to weight charts 20 pounds too fat for my 6' frame.



Listed weights:

Curt Grummel  250

I flipped on TVG and caught the 5th from Hawthorne for no reason --- but when Curt left from the outside post, I double taked when I saw how big this guy was.... He had the shoulder width of an offensive linemen.

I had no idea who this guy was -- had to look up his name.  Made a break from the 10 hole leaving and still wound up 4th as the 7-5 favorite....  probably a nice horse to be played like he did from the 10 hole.

[AGUA CALIENTE]

Ask LUCPARK, He knows everything about Harness Racing.

[Dingus]

I don’t know Matt Zuccarello’s weight, but he drove one of my trotters a few years ago in an amateur race at Tioga, and he couldn’t get him to turn around when the gate started moving.
Finally got him to turn after the outrider helped, and Started 10 lengths back when the gate opened, and lost by 4.
I don’t think he’s any better now after watching the Amateur pace at the meadowlands Friday as he got into an insane speed duel.

[eyeinthesky]

There was an Amateur race today at Plainridge...Race 4... The 2 horse made a break leaving...for no apparent reason..and drifted out ..just a few steps..which a pacer  sometimes  do when they make a break
The 3 horse could not avoid this..and hooked wheels with the breaking horse...turning him 90 degrees. Todd Whitney , on the breaking horse has to weigh over 200 pounds..but its all muscle....he seemed to roll off the sulky...but held onto the lines......and DNF

For a big man..and an amateur..he was quite agile.  A loose horse going the wrong way towards a field of amateurs is not a nice thought.

A skinny driver..might have let go of the lines..and rolled for cover

[swoodall]

When is the last time Bart Stimer saw his listed 225?

I'm guessing Thanksgiving 2015.

[slivercharm]

Ask LUCPARK, He knows everything about Harness Racing.

 

[chester]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the O'Mara's were big boys in the bike and had success

[Rabbi Of Racing]

Frank Omara,first time i went to the track,i was 13 in 1973,he won on a horse named Major Lucky from the 8 hole,I bet $2 to win,paid $52,my life was over at that point even though I had no clue it was.He had to weigh 250.How bout the late,great,George Ursitti? Had to weigh 300,won many races,nicest guy one could ever meet.

[Casualfan1]

Listen if that Grummel guy only weighs 250 then I want to use the same scale he’s using. He looks closer to 300 than 250. His horses pulling 100 pounds more than the rest of the field besides the fact he can’t drive anyway 😂

[Calhoun]

Michigan Dale too fat.

[horses first]

I haven't seen Curt in four or five years I saw the 250lbs in the program and took notice. Some say he is pushing 300? He wasn't like that a few years back. Must be eating s lot of stress this industry provides. I played that 10 horse that night he looked all ready to go warming up head cocked and boom off stride. WTF...no drivers at that track.

[caddy]

Some on that list must have no muscle cause some look a little bigger then those weights listed

Obesity is going to affect this country as time goes on, even more than the corona.  It's time for every stadium in this country to put in fat appropriate seats.  Same on airplanes - the percentage of fat asses makes it impossible to fly in comfort.  AND, invariably - the sloppy, big butts are in the middle seat, squirmin' around and forcing their girth into the window and aisle seats.  To that regard, fat is more and more the new normal.  to that regard, bikes are going to have to be modified to accommodate bigger drivers, the standardbreds will eventually be replaced by Belgians or Clysdales  and those wider sulkies will reduce the number of starters across most tracks.  Cut it down to 4 or 5. 

That's all for today  >  gotta run over to Mcdonalds for the two big Mac lunch w/ a super size fries and milkshake.

[horses first]

Pretty much corona virus won't be much a issue with these underlying conditions of diabetes and obesity. The older people get the more they are a drag on healthcare in America because they don't take care of themselves. Doesn't help that the products going into the food supply under government supervision is just plain bad for you. If people cut sugar out of their diet they would she a big surprise.

[Brown jug]

i don't think drivers weights have been updated for years , maybe at all, so why bother putting it in the program
for some of the top drivers who deem it important to stay in some kind of shape it is not an issue
but for some of the older second tier guys cmon man , not even close to what is listed
 however i would suggest putting a few of the big fellas in the bike for jogging and training miles, then when a real driver who weights 70 lbs less hopes on the horse goes like shit