Celebrating Ron Pierce on his birthday
by Bob Heyden
Happy 69th birthday on Saturday (June 21), to the man, the myth, the legend, Ron Pierce.
In the event you may have forgotten, he retired on March 8, 2015, at 58, due to nagging back injuries. At that time, he was at $215 million in career earnings, second only to John Campbell’s $299.6 million.
A decade later he’s still one of only seven members of the $200 million driving club.
His final full season (2014) was unique — at 58 — as he had both the Pacer and Trotter of the Year in Sweet Lou and Shake It Cerry.
Here are some contemporaries who, even now, remember him quite fondly.
Paul Kelley: “Twenty years or so ago, I had two trotting fillies in Lexington. A 2-year-old named Sunday Yankee and a 3-year-old named Saratoga Yankee. The 3-year-old, Saratoga Yankee, had to be brought to the gate late, the 2-year-old, Sunday Yankee, was push-button, right to the gate, no problem. On this day the 2-year-old, Sunday Yankee, was in the International Stallion Stakes and as the horses are approaching the gate, way down in the far turn I see her half rearing up and acting unlike herself. The gate got rolling and she eventually got close to it as they released the field. She recovered and finished third racing well considering the bad start. When Ronny came back with her, he immediately apologized for the commotion getting to the gate. ‘I’m sorry Paul, I got my Yankees mixed up.’ I have many more stories. In my opinion one of the very best natural drivers ever.”
Yannick Gingras: “He was the most unpredictable driver I ever raced against and I mean that as a huge compliment. You never knew what he would do and it made driving against him very difficult and uncomfortable which as a catch-driver is likely the ultimate compliment. A great, great driver.”
Joann Looney-King: “They only made one. He’s outstanding.”
Jimmy Takter: “The most natural harness racing driver ever. Half horse, half human. I really miss having him drive our horses.”
Jack Darling: “Ron drove several stakes horses for me over the years. Great driver, very confident. If you put him on the track with a good horse, he would make something happen.”
Dave Palone: “I absolutely love Ronny. I remember when he came to The Meadowlands [’86-87] when I was up there. He was going barn-to-barn looking to qualify anything to prove himself. Probably one of the most talented people to ever drive a horse. I would love to know how many times at Lexington we’d be going to the gate and Ronny would be BSing to me in the wrong post position. Of course, we’d cause a recall and get in trouble. The judge finally had enough of it and he said, ‘Pierce you and Palone have got to quit your talking on the track.’ Ronny answered the judge, ‘I wasn’t talking to him, I was singing to him.’ I couldn’t be happier for him that he’s doing exactly what he wants to do in life [living in Montana, fishing, hunting, boating, snorkeling, and panning for gold, the good life].
Tim Tetrick: “Rockin Ronny, he could fire them up, and then settle them down. I loved him. He could drive a $2G claimer or a $100G stakes horse the same. He raced on ‘feel.’ I’d be studying that day’s program; me and Brian Sears for example. Ronny didn’t do that. He didn’t need to. Let me give you a Ronny story from when I first started driving against him. It was probably 2008 or so, at Chester. I had been driving a good horse who was strictly a closer but who jumped shadows everywhere. You had to keep him covered up behind horses. You couldn’t fire him up and leave because he wanted to do a belly-flop as soon as he got to the first turn. This particular day I chose off and Ronny is driving him and I told him what he had to do with him. Then I look over and he’s scoring him down hard and I said, ‘Oh no, he’s going to leave with him.’ Right before the start I told him again, “That horse sees ghosts out there.’ I reiterated it again. The gate springs open and Ronny is leaving hard and, sure enough, he belly-flops and drags Ronny to the outer fence. Laughing, and a bit worse for wear, Ronny catches up with me right after. ‘Next time I’ll listen to you when you tell he about a horse like this.’ I wish Ronny could be here now. He could come back tomorrow and fit right in.”
Stacy Chiodo: “I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to drive against Ron when I started. He definitely had a way of keeping a horse alive and his drive on Art Official in the Meadowlands Pace is one I will never forget. He is a true all-around horseman.”
Dave Miller: “He’s a great friend, and a born natural.”
Joe Faraldo: “I first met Ronny at Monticello driving qualifiers at the start of his majestic career. At the time he thanked me for helping him, for what I still don’t know. Since then, he has never needed anyone’s help as he catapulted into a vast talent and an icon in harness racing earning his way into the Hall of Fame. Tanti Auguri Ronny.”
Bill O’Donnell: “Ronny was very unassuming and quiet. He went about his work in a professional manner. Racing against him, he always kept me guessing as he was very unpredictable, but one of the greatest talents to ever drive a horse.”
Mark MacDonald: “Maybe the best ever. As amazing with a trotter as he was with a pacer. He was a Hall of Fame driver with a Hall of Fame personality too, which is rare. He’s missed in the locker room but missed on the track even more.”
Jacqueline Ingrassia: “To me Ron was a natural on the racetrack, a savant if you will. He just always seemed to make the right move at the right time, especially in the big races.”
Mike Lachance: “He’s Robert Redford in ‘The Natural.’ He really is. He didn’t need to spend much time looking at the program, he’d get in the bike and he was ready to go. What a driver!”
