by Chris Lomon

What’s in a name? For trainer/driver/owner Kubilay Erzene, it was certainly an appropriate one for a treasured milestone.

It was by no means a surprising win, the one that came at Ocean Downs last July, when Burning Desire, a then 6-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere, delivered the horseman his first victory in the race bike.

Sent off at 7-2, Burning Desire, a $150,000 purchase at the 2017 Standardbred Horse Sales Company’s yearling sale in Harrisburg, was sent to the front by Erzene and the duo never looked back, going on to notch a 2 ½-length score in 1:57.4.

It was, on many levels, an across-the-board score.

“I love Ocean Downs,” Erzene said. “It was an incredible night. I was driving Burning Desire for one of my good friends, Ralph Silvestre [III], as the trainer/owner. I felt like I was going to win that night and I did. It was a good win and it was at a place I really like. The surface, the environment, the crowd… it really takes you back to what racing is all about. It’s unbelievable. They do a great job there. Everything about it is great.”

Erzene began his association with racing through his grandfather Walter Petersen.

The more he found himself spending time at the racetrack, the more Erzene felt the pull to get involved in some capacity.

“My grandfather owned and drove his own horses,” Erzene said. “We were in New Jersey and ended up moving to California. That’s when I first got around horses, working with my grandfather at Cal-Expo. I just worked my way up after that and when I was 18, I bought my first horse and started going from there. I remember watching Ed Hennessey, seeing the way he drove and what he did to be successful.

Once you sit behind these animals, you really do appreciate what they are capable of.”

When he did make the decision to make standardbred racing a full-time gig, his grandfather had a witty reply.

“He told me, ‘That I didn’t pick an easy sport,’” Erzene said. “He told me, ‘It’s a tough business,’ but no matter what the outcome, I should always look ahead.”

And that’s what Erzene has done, especially in the early stages of his life as a trainer/driver.

“The early challenge for me was staying devoted because it’s not easy to be successful at the beginning,” he said. “When you are starting out and you are a small stable, it’s tough to go up against the bigger operations. The one thing you learn early on is that you’ve got to stick with it and if you work hard, that success will come. My grandfather also said, ‘If you think you know everything, you might as well stop. You can always learn something new, even at 80.’ That’s what he told me and I believe that. I never think I know everything and I’m willing to listen.”

Although plenty has changed for him over the past two years — Erzene broke babies for trainer Chris Ryder for eight years before going out on his own — one thing has remained a constant.

It’s something he continues to be grateful for.

“I felt like I was always around a lot of good people, like Bryson Dunning, Jake Leamon and Ralph Silvestre,” Erzene said. “My stepfather, Troy Thomas, has also been a big influence. He helped me with rating training miles and made me work hard to earn it. He’s also my blacksmith. I think I learned more than I ever have over the last few years than I did in my first 10 years in the business. When you have the opportunity to be around good people, the ones who are willing to help you and teach you, it makes all the difference in the world. I think I’ve developed into a good horseman, but I know there is a lot more to learn and a lot to improve upon.”

The game plan, at least for now, is for Erzene to continue to train and drive his own horses.

It’s the latter that gives him the biggest rush.

“I would love the chance to drive for other people,” he said. “I do like driving. It’s still early in my career to say where that will take me, but I’m willing to keep trying and work hard at it. Getting to know the people I have has opened a lot of doors for me. I do want to focus on driving, but I like training too.”

Relief from the stresses of his job comes in the form of family, namely, his wife, Eternity and the couple’s three young children, sons Logan and Noah and daughter, Serenity.

On Sundays, it’s a true family affair at the barn.

And when they aren’t together around the horses, the Erzenes are happy to simply spend time together at home.

“We have my mother [Missy] with us too,” Erzene said. “It’s all about family for me. After a tough day of work, it’s a really good feeling to come home and unwind with them. There isn’t always as much time as you’d like to unwind, so when you do get that chance, you take full advantage of it. My kids come to the barn and help out on Sundays. I have a 4-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old and they keep going every week. They love it. There are smiles all day. What other job would you want?

“My wife is very supportive. There are a lot of late nights at the barn, so she has a lot on her plate. She’s going to school to be a nurse and she’s going to be graduating soon. I’m very lucky to have her in my life.”

Currently, Erzene, who has teamed up with trainer Bryson Dunning, has seven horses in training.

After a career-best year training and driving, the 30-year-old is more motivated than ever.

Just like the horse that delivered one of his most notable triumphs, the California-born horseman who now calls Pemberton, NJ, home, has a burning desire to make 2023 his most productive season yet.

“Life is great,” Erzene said. “I see a lot of bright things ahead. This is a rollercoaster, but I’ve been on it before. But things are starting to peak and I’m ready for it. I have a lot of good people around me. They gave me some wisdom and knowledge that has really helped me.”