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General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: cmracing11 on August 03, 2026, 10:04:00 PM
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What’s everyone’s thoughts on changing trainers so late in game? Big Ranger .
Ronnie only made the horse about 495k.
Hes gotta be steaming .
Anybody have whole story?
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It's not that complicated.
Who pays the bills gives the animal to a trainer they choose who is willing to take it.
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You win 14 out of 16 races, horse of the year in Ohio ,
Make 500k
Can’t train for people like that .
Lose lose
If it don’t go well in hambo , it will be trainers fault right away.
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The owners obvioiusly still have a lot of faith in him since he is breaking horses and racing a lot of horses in the OHSS for them, so it was not a "break."
If Big Ranger is good enough to become a viable stud they should give Gillespie at least a perpetual breeding and perhaps more, since, as has been pointed out, he "made" the horse.
I love Tetrick on pacers, be he is more problematic on trotters (higher % go galloping that I think should), so I find the driver choice a bit curious, but Anette Lorentzon is a gifted trainer of trotters.
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Tetrick has been driving her horses for a long time, he was the regular driver of her top trotter Guardian Angel As.
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What’s everyone’s thoughts on changing trainers so late in game? Big Ranger .
Ronnie only made the horse about 495k.
Hes gotta be steaming .
Anybody have whole story?
He will be on my ticket but I will not be rooting for him to win. Ronnie Gillespie deserved the right to see this through. This could have been a good story like Vivid Photo. A break at the start would be wonderful.
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Tetrick has been driving her horses for a long time, he was the regular driver of her top trotter Guardian Angel As.
Barlett drove that horse in the hambo
caused What The Hill to get D'q in the final
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Barlett drove that horse in the hambo
caused What The Hill to get D'q in the final
I remember the race and the DQ, Tetrick drove him as an older horse and did well.
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I think Big Ranger wins it Saturday. Horse is a monster and TT can drive anything!
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I too believe that Ronnie was robbed of a great chance to win the Hambo,However this horse only has one shot to win this race,so moving him to a barn that has the latest chemical warfare products only makes sense for the owners in my book. I not only expect the horse to win but also set a new speed record while doing so!
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I too believe that Ronnie was robbed of a great chance to win the Hambo,However this horse only has one shot to win this race,so moving him to a barn that has the latest chemical warfare products only makes sense for the owners in my book. I not only expect the horse to win but also set a new speed record while doing so!
And the industry/sport loses the opportunity for a great story that could promote the sport to groups that little about it now.
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If the horse wins and the owners/trainer doesn’t give RG a mention, they are classless!
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Agree with all the comments but seems like something is going on with Ronnie’s barn. He lost his nice pacer to Carter Pinske and over the last 10 days he only has 2 training starts.
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Agree with all the comments but seems like something is going on with Ronnie’s barn. He lost his nice pacer to Carter Pinske and over the last 10 days he only has 2 training starts.
Carter had a few wins this week with horses from RG stable
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Positive coming? If not seems odd owners are leaving.
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Win or lose, that horse was scary in his elimination. He's not my horse, but I have zero problem with TT on this horse or any good trotter.
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Ronnie Gillespie, wanted to keep driving the horse. Ask Jack Darling what helped Bull Dog Hanover. If Dexter Dunn didn't take over we would have never heard much about him. Gillespie might be a good trainer but Tim Tetrick is 5x the driver Ron could even dream of being.
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Ronnie Gillespie, wanted to keep driving the horse. Ask Jack Darling what helped Bull Dog Hanover. If Dexter Dunn didn't take over we would have never heard much about him. Gillespie might be a good trainer but Tim Tetrick is 5x the driver Ron could even dream of being.
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Ronnie Gillespie is widely regarded as an elite, high-percentage driver, particularly within the regional circuits of the Midwest and South, such as Indiana and Mississippi, as well as the fair circuits.
While he may not hold the national media profile of drivers who race exclusively at major East Coast venues like the Meadowlands, his statistical record and reputation among trainers reflect top-tier driving talent.
Key Strengths & Career Profile
Exceptional Winning Percentage: One of Gillespie's defining traits is his UDRS (Universal Driver Rating System) score and win percentage. He routinely posts win rates well above average, frequently out-driving the odds on horses that aren't market favorites.
Master of the Fair and Regional Circuits: He has been a dominant force in state-bred stakes and county fair circuits—environments that require quick decision-making on shorter tracks (like half-mile tracks) where post position and early positioning are critical.
Aggressive, Front-Running Style: Gillespie is known for getting horses off the gate cleanly and placing them in commanding early positions. His ability to judge pace on the front end makes him exceptionally difficult to catch once he controls the tempo.
High Versatility: In addition to driving, Gillespie has a deep background as a trainer. Drivers who also train tend to have a better feel for a horse's physical limits, allowing them to manage a horse's energy efficiently throughout a mile.
While drivers who compete daily on the major Grand Circuit tracks accumulate higher overall purse earnings due to bigger race pots, Ronnie Gillespie is universally respected as a "horseman's driver"—a sharp, highly effective driver who maximizes the potential of almost every horse he sits behind.