Matt Kakaley is ready should the Grand Circuit come calling

by Murray Brown

If one were to use just one word to describe Matt Kakaley as a driver, the word I would use is steady. At the end of each racing season, his name can usually be found in the top 10 drivers in North America or very close to it. Currently he is ranked seventh in North American earnings.

At the relatively young age of 38 for a driver, he has won 7,419 races and earned $127,718,048 at this writing. Drivers generally take some time to rise to the top.

I was somewhat surprised when perusing the ages of the 10 leading drivers in North America as this is written. In order of earnings, they are: 1. Jason Bartlett (44), 2. Yannick Gingras (46), 3. Dexter Dunn (37), 4. Tim Tetrick (44), 5. Chris Page (43), 6. Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. (40), 7. Kakaley (38), 8.Tyler Buter (40), 9. James MacDonald (40), and 10. Luke Hanners (26).

This column is meant to focus on Kakaley and not on all the leading drivers in North America, so that is where we will go.

Isn’t it true that you were in effect born in a feed bucket and all you’ve ever known is harness racing?

“Yes, both my mom and dad came from a horse racing family. Dad still trains and drives occasionally. I started driving in Pompano in 2006. The first person who gave me horses to drive was Jacques Dupuis. I guess I was doing alright for a kid of 18. I certainly wasn’t a star, but I won some races and was getting some experience.

“Mickey Burke, Sr. and Ronnie were looking to expand their stable and set up a division in Northfield Park under Mickey, Jr. They wanted someone young to help with the training and driving. They came down to Pompano. Wally Hennessey, Ricky Macomber, and Brian Hawk all recommended me to Mickey. Mickey asked me, ‘Can you be in Cleveland on Monday?’ I said, ‘I’ll be there.’

“That was the greatest break I ever received. I was exposed to the greatest grouping of harness horses possible, especially to a young inexperienced kid. There was everything in the stable, overnighters, claimers, top stakes horses, and young 2-year-olds just starting out. I eventually got to drive some of the very best horses not only in the stable, but also throughout North America.

“Another break that opened for me there, was that Brett Miller who was top dog there was moving to The Meadowlands and the Grand Circuit. That left a bit of an opening to fill.”

You were with the Burkes seemingly for a long time, then all of a sudden you weren’t driving their horses anymore. What happened?

“The truth is, I really don’t know. As luck would have it, I had my three highest earning years right after they stopped using me. I loved working for them, especially Mickey, Sr. They are all great people. They had remarkable trust in a young kid and allowed me to drive all the horses in the stable. Sure, the great drivers like Yannick [Gingras] usually had first call, but the second best were usually pretty good.”

What was the best horse you drove while with the Burke Brigade?

“I guess that would have to have been Foiled Again. I was fortunate enough to have driven him several times including to three wins in the Battle of Lake Erie.”

You’ve also won a couple of Breeders Crowns.

“Yes, with the Burke stable with Percy Blue Chip and Dorsoduro Hanover.”

Do you miss being on the Grand Circuit going from track to track, driving the best horses and flying in company with the best drivers?

“I do miss it and I’m sure I would do it again if the opportunity presented itself.

“But, the other side of that coin is that it’s not so much fun if the horses you are scheduled to drive aren’t competitive. It’s not all that much fun when you know the best you possibly are going to do is get a check. If you aren’t put down on any power, it can get to be somewhat of a grind.

“That could relate to what I do now to some degree as well. I drive mostly at Pocono and Yonkers, with stops in the New York and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes when they are scheduled. I’m fortunate in that I get enough good drives at all those venues to keep the fun element alive in all of them. But I’d be wrong, if I said that the doubleheaders involved with racing at Pocono in the day and then driving to Yonkers to drive at night are fun. They are tiring. Nevertheless, it’s far from the worst way to make a living.”

Let’s speak about the GOATs in horses, drivers, and trainers, at least among those in your lifetime.

“With horses it would have to be Muscle Hill with trotters and Somebeachsomewhere with pacers. As others have mentioned, not only were they awe inspiring on the racetracks as competitors, but they did what they did with relative ease relative to their competition.

“With drivers, most people might say Dexter Dunn. There is no doubt that he is a true great. I’m not prepared to argue that point with anyone. But for me the greatest I’ve known, and still my idol today, is Brian Sears. Throughout my career, I tried to pattern my driving after Brian and the way he drove a horse, especially the way he always took care of it. When anyone is speaking of a GOAT of drivers, I’d be remiss in not also mentioning John Campbell.

“With trainers, my best would be Jimmy Takter and Ronnie Burke.”

What’s life like for you away from the racetrack?

“My better half Annie and I have an 8-year-old daughter, Ariana who is the love of our lives. I try to spend as much time with them as possible. It’s not easy to do so at this time of year when so much racing is going on at so many places. I look at Ariana and I ask myself where has the time  gone. It seems just days ago when I was wheeling her in a baby carriage.”