Drivers

[Emperor Dapple]

Hmmm.. Carmine in top 10 ? i idolized him growing up but can you really put him in top 10 with JC, O'donnell, Tetrick etc.. Great local overnight driver here in metro ny 1/2 mile tracks but those guys were/ are great on any track they raced at..Similar to Palone at Meadows.. Wins driving titles at Meadows but nothing special outside of that ..

[Superfecta]

Hmmm.. Carmine in top 10 ? i idolized him growing up but can you really put him in top 10 with JC, O'donnell, Tetrick etc.. Great local overnight driver here in metro ny 1/2 mile tracks but those guys were/ are great on any track they raced at..Similar to Palone at Meadows.. Wins driving titles at Meadows but nothing special outside of that ..

Carmine won at every size track. You also can't compare Palone winning titles in the minor leagues while Carmine was winning titles at Yonkers and Roosevelt the premier tracks in North America. If he didn't turn down William Haughton to drive his stakes horses because he was very loyal to his regulars he would have been more recognized out side of New York.

[MR.DALRAE]

Anthony Morgan,,Dave Magee,,Ron pierce,,,better than some on that list

[toothman]

Ron Pierce and Buddy Gilmour in
Palone and Merriman out.
Zeke stays because he is held in such high regard by his peers.
But I'm gonna take Carmine out and replace with Bill Haughton, the total package.
i have a feelng Joe O'Brien not far behind

[Superfecta]

Ron Pierce and Buddy Gilmour in
Palone and Merriman out.
Zeke stays because he is held in such high regard by his peers.
But I'm gonna take Carmine out and replace with Bill Haughton, the total package.
i have a feelng Joe O'Brien not far behind

George Sholty if you want to go that far back. That's before my time.

[remington]

Carmine was the best

[jupiter]

No Casey, Buddy, Joe O, Billy O, Ron P. Never get an all time top 10, too many greats of each generation and most overlap. It's not about $ race a hell of a lot more, and for better $. In his run there wasn't anybody better than Case. Ya might not like him but ya gotta give the guy credit

[Calhoun]

Goudreau was as good as any and better than most mentioned.

[Jazzman]

great post such a debatable subject i think ron waples would make my list

[PIGLAND]

harold story was great

[eyeinthesky]

We finally have an intelligent post.  All mentioned are very good , successful drivers....and some are /were clearly at the top , when they were at the top of their game...with good or  better horses

Those who got watch them race....have great memories.

Impossib;e to rank them....we all have different criteria

Nice post

Thanks  for the memories....I was lucky enough to see many of their great drives....except for Carmine...there was no internet then , nor replays.......... ..but to win races against Buddy and Billy H , and Herve..he had to be great .

[COTTONWOOD FARM]

Goudreau was as good as any and better than most mentioned.

 

[towtruck]

I think Dunn is a great driver. But i have to see how he does over the years.
My top 10 of all time
1) The "Redman" Carmine Abbatiello
2) Herve Fillon
3) John Campbell
4) Cat Manzi
5) Dave Palone
6)Mike Lachance
7) Aaron Merriman
Tim Tetrick
9) Billy Parker Jr.
10) Walter Case Jr.
Ok "Ploppers",,,,,start the mean and insulting comments! LOL!

Your list needs a nessasary update,,,, Dexter, Yannick, Timmy T.,on our side, J McDonald, Menair,Filion in Canada,,
,,,

[remington]

Certain drivers were naturals and had stop watches in their heads. They knew how fast the pace was going all the time. Story, Carmine, Dunn, Buddy and it was a lot different with the hub rail. There are a lot of drivers that made a fortune betting and five percent of nothing is nothing. So it is hard to compare drivers but some are and were great but to the average person they didn't look like it.

[Emperor Dapple]

Can't believe nobody mentions Ben Hur in the top 10..