Tim Deaton left home to follow his dream
by Chris Lomon
Tim Deaton’s first career driving win typifies his sedulous approach to standardbred racing.
It was just over 11 years ago — specifically, the afternoon of July 26, 2014 — when the young reinsman from Lebanon, OH, pointed Bestbestraight, a pacing son of Third Straight, toward the starter car for the first race at The Red Mile.
Eight horses lined up for the $4,000 non-wagering event on a fast track during an 80-degree day at the historic Lexington oval.
Sitting mid-pack early, Deaton and Bestbestraight eventually struck front and were one-length clear at the stretch call in the fair stakes event.
The end result of Deaton’s efforts — and those of the veteran bay gelding — was a three-quarter-length score in 1:58.
“At the time, my uncle [Mark] and I were working for Steve Carter and his owner Chuck Grubbs,” Deaton said. “It was nice to do it in front of some of my family. My dad [Elliott] and my brother [Ryan] actually ended up with this horse later on in his career — my brother won a race with him, too — so that turned out to be something that was very cool.
“He went on to sweep his 2-year-old Sires Stakes category with Dave Palone driving him, so I think I did okay with this horse.”
For the man in the race bike, the milestone victory was, among other things, an important lesson in what defines driving success.
“We had to dig in — the horse was a little green at that time — so even though we were on the lead, I had to keep my focus and work hard to make sure we paced right through the wire,” Tim said. “Win or lose, you always have to give your best.”
And Tim has done exactly that over the past 11-plus years, both in the sulky and in the barn.
He learned the value of hard work and commitment from many, including his parents, both longtime horsepeople.
“I was born and raised into racing,” Tim said. “My dad drives and trains as well. He’s been doing it his whole life. My mom [Dawn] actually grew up in the riding horse world – she started working with horses when she was a teenager. She worked for a lot of veteran horsemen in standardbred racing, like Tom Brinkerhoff. She trained for a while for herself and now she works for Brian Brown. She spends her time working in Florida over the winter and in Ohio for the summer.”
Any thought of joining the harness racing ranks wasn’t initially on Tim’s radar.
In his early teens, that changed.
“I was probably 14 or 15 when I decided this is what I was going to get into,” Tim said. “Before then, I didn’t have a big desire to pursue a career in racing, but once I started helping my dad with his horses and my mom with hers, it kind of snowballed from there. I have worked for a lot of different people and learned a lot from many Ohio-based trainers. I decided to expand on that and made the move out east, to see what the different styles of racing were all about.”
An eager student of the game wherever he has competed, Tim — who has 122 career driving wins and 15 as a trainer — has also learned a great deal from the horses he has partnered with.
He holds a particular fondness for a pair of pacers.
“I had a horse named Hoosier Shooter, who jump started things for me a bit,” Tim said. “A guy that I worked for, Danny Dubinsky, who is also an owner, we were looking for a horse to claim, and this was the one. I won a couple races with him, and I ended up buying him back a little later on in his career and I was able to get him his lifetime mark of 1:51.4. He was pretty special to me.”
As is a bay filly, bred, owned and trained by Kasey Bendix.
Woodys Girl, a 3-year-old daughter of Rustys For Real, delivered Tim a career first this May.
“She gave me my first Sires Stakes win in Maryland, and I was second in the final with her,” he said. “She’s an awesome horse.”
On June 1, at Shenandoah Downs, Tim drove a pair of winners — Blissful Dragon and Grin N Sin — both trained by his girlfriend, Kayla Pressel.
The victories marked Pressel’s first training double.
“We work great together,” Tim said. “I help her with her stable and it’s been nice. We have had some good success so far. I’m happy that she is doing well and building her stable. She has a small operation, but we were able to get wins with all the horses at Shenandoah.
“Any horse I drive, I am very appreciative of the opportunity.”
Currently, Tim and Pressel are in Maryland, looking to add more winner’s circle trips to their respective résumés.
So far, the move to the Old Line State has produced some promising opportunities.
“I want to be one of the drivers who gets to drive 10 races or more a night,” Tim said. “Being new out here — a fresh face — has helped. I was able to drive for a lot of different people at Shenandoah and won an open down there, which was nice. I have picked up some Sires Stakes drives here in Maryland, so my short-term goal is to be a stakes driver here and use it as a stepping stone to compete at other racetracks, hopefully, places like The Meadowlands and Chester.
“Hopefully, I can get my name out there as someone who has the ability to drive in big races at the big racetracks.”
Tim has ample support in his pursuit of those goals.
“My dad, my uncle and my mom have always believed in me,” he said. “I am also very good friends with the Hanners family, who have all helped me a lot, working for them, driving to the fairs with Austin and Luke – I have learned a lot from all of them. I am very thankful to be able to work and learn from so many great people.”
Outside of the racing ovals and barn life, Tim is an enthusiastic sports fan.
Diamonds, ice, or gridiron – he enjoys the chance to trade his role as participant for that of spectator.
“I love watching sports,” Tim said. “It’s always nice to go out and enjoy a sporting event. I like going to hockey games. I haven’t been to any football games lately, but being in an area like this, in Maryland, I’m sure we will get out to a few football games in the fall. Baseball is huge here, too, so I am sure we will go out to some games before the summer is over.”
While making sure he maintains a winning state of mind in his own field of dreams.
