Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing

Driver of the Month
for February 2010

George Brennan

George Brennan, 43, has ranked among the top 10 drivers at the Meadowlands for the past decade and the top 15 nationally. He has never won the Big M driving title, but was third in both 1998 and 2000. he's also won two Breeders Crown Championships (both in 1998) in 33 finals that he's driven in.

Brennan was introduced to harness racing by his stepfather, Joe Ricco Jr. (a top driver on the Monticello-Pocono Circuit), and began driving in Goshen, New York at age 14. His first pari-mutuel win came at Monticello Raceway at age 17, while still a junior in high school. Brennan feels that driving is instinctual and a skill that must be developed early.

George Brennan

George Brennan piloted the great mare Galleria

"I think it's all natural," he said. "I think you've got to start being into it and I think you've got to start at a young age. I think it's impossible to grab a kid out of high school right now and try to make them a driver. It just wouldn't happen. They can race and maybe have marginal success but not at this level."

Brennan arrived at the Meadowlands in 1994 with his friend, trainer Ron Coyne. He won his first Meadowlands race on opening night of the 1995 meet, driving Make Music to victory for Coyne. He gained national attention that year as he guided both two-year-old pacing divisional champs, the colt A Stud Named Sue and the filly Chippies Ruler.

"I couldn't ask for anything more," he said. "It was a lot thrown at me at that time. But I was very lucky to get both of those horses and they did very well for me." In 1996, he won the $1 million Meadowlands Pace with green-goggled gelding Hot Lead. "That was really cool because Robinson [trainer Bill Robinson] had five in that race, and they had all the hype and everything," he said. "Hot Lead was the iron-horse, he really was."

I think it all falls back on the horse and whether you have a good horse.

In 2004, he reached $50 million in career earnings, half of which he banked at the Meadowlands.

"No matter who you're racing with, you've just got to be on your game all the time," Brennan said. "I've got the utmost respect for those guys and I've got the utmost respect for the guys I race with now. I can tell you that."

Brennan ended 2005 with overall stats of 327 wins and $7,547,999 in purses won, the second highest total of his career, second only to $7,569,909 in 1998. Some of Brennan's brightest moments in 2005 were with double millionaire Loyal Opposition, sweeping the Overbid Series, including the $122,250 final on March 25, and capturing the $100,000 Thomas Strada Memorial on April 9 at the Meadowlands. Loyal Opposition is not the first millionaire mare Brennan has driven. He was the regular pilot of Galleria, whom he drove to $1.8 million racing in company that included the speedy Armbro Romance.

Now just two months into the Meadowlands meet, Brennan is building on the momentum of his 2005 season when he topped $7.5 million in money earnings for the third time.

"I don't know if there's any secret to it," Brennan said. "I think it all falls back on the horse and whether you have a good horse. There are 10 or 15 guys that can all keep their horses going. "Hopefully I can stay healthy, land a couple of good mounts, and put up good numbers again," he added.

With seven wins on Friday night, August 11, 2006, George Brennan has joined an exclusive club at the Meadowlands. Only three drivers have won seven or more on a single program since the Meadowlands opened in 1976. John Campbell has had seven-winner programs on five occasions, and Mike Lachance holds the track record of eight wins which took place on July 14, 1995. Brennan also won four races on Saturday’s Hambletonian Day program to lift his two-day total to 11.

“This was a big night for me,” said Brennan, who resides in Perrineville, New Jersey. “I don't remember winning seven on a card before. Doing it at the Meadowlands makes it even more special. I've been on a good roll this year and hope to continue with it,” he noted. “Driving good horses for the best trainers doesn't hurt either. A guy like Richard Banca sends them to me ready. It makes my job easier."

On Sunday, January 31, 2010, there was no stopping the Minister of Speed, as Brennan steered six winners on the afternoon card at Meadowlands Racetrack, including a trio of long shots.

His hot streak began in race two with Red Star Catch {$5.80) and continued with Crypto Man ($17) in race three, Frankie's Dream ($8) in race four, Sammy Savannah ($23.60) in race eight, Real Golden Girl ($6.80) in race nine and A and G's Winner ($5.80) in race 10.

Brennan was one win shy of his personal best of seven at the Meadowlands on August 11, 2006. The Meadowlands record for most wins on a card is eight, which belongs to Mike Lachance, who accomplished the feat on July 14, 1995.

Brennan, of Perrineville, NJ, currently ranks second in victories at the Meadowlands with 32 wins - two behind the leader Brian Sears - through January 31, 2010.

George Brennan's Career Statistics through 2009
Year    Starts   Wins     2nds   3rds     Earnings       UDRS
2009      2178      312      306      276      $8,128,399      0.264
2008      1356      177      158      156      $4,181,915      0.234
2007      2242      356      324      283      $9,065,239      0.281
2006      2047      346      293      255      $9,060,859      0.290
2005      2147      327      269      252      $7,547,999      0.261
2004      2118      322      294      245      $7,521,453      0.268
2003      2351      337      300      269      $5,578,394      0.252
2002      1918      226      242      216      $4,940,181      0.225
2001      1866      234      216      205      $4,393,824      0.226
2000      2209      324      304      251      $5,003,868      0.261
1999      1973      302      249      246      $4,225,077      0.265
1998      2747      457      394      314      $7,569,909      0.284
1997      2652      418      396      310      $4,481,538      0.280
1996      2615      405      326      321      $4,737,513      0.265
1995      1582      224      223      200      $2,535,773      0.262
1994      533       73       86       74        $232,222        0.273
1993      1130      220      183      141      $307,485        0.326
1992      927        127`    137      138      $123,731         0.269
1991      719       120      116      92       $136,696         0.299
1990      577        90        73       60        $181,899         0.261
1989      1178      181      153      158      $357,431        0.271
1988      564      75        81      74       $146,583        0.257
1987      465        57        73      57        $115,994        0.251
1986      184        19       25      28       $44,856           0.229
1985      97        16        12       14       $30,413           0.282
1984      8           1          0         0          $750               0.125
1983      0           0         0        0          $0                  0.000
1982      2           1          1         0          $750             0.778
1981      1           0          0         0         $50                0.000
Total                5,796                          $91,380,884