John Campbell:
    "The best technique is to have a good horse. There's
    no question, the horse plays the major role. As far as
    technique and preparation, as drivers we prepare the
    same way the bettors do. We look at the program
    and try to handicap the race how we think it will go.
    Sometimes the driver makes a big difference.
    Sometimes I think it can be up to 50% of what
    happens in a race. But, other times with a horse that
    is less versatile and not as maneuverable, I think the
    driver makes 10% or less. We factor in how the
    driver style fits the horse that he is driving, and what
    his tendencies are as a driver. And, certainly the
    program on the horse and what his past performance
    has been. The horse is the deciding factor. The driver
    just tries to get him in a position that he thinks the
    horse will deliver his best effort from the three
    quarter pole to the wire. And that's our job, to put
    them in the best position we can at the three quarter
    pole. And sometimes that means being in front, and
    sometimes that means coming from way back,
    depending on fractions."

    Dave Palone:
    "Good drivers are good handicappers. First, you look
    at the card to get a feel for how the race is going to
    go. But obviously, when it comes right down to the
    race, what separates a good driver from bad driver is,
    he can get a feel for the race. And he knows the
    correct time to move. Not into a suicide fraction or
    something like that. It's almost like the great drivers
    have stopwatches in their head. The really great ones
    not only can rate a horse, but they just have a way
    of carrying a horse. I've had my most success when I
    felt like I was just feeling a race out good, you know,
    finding myself into the right spot of race, not moving
    at an inopportune time. I don't like to take a horse
    out of their routine to many times. Speed horses like
    to race up close, and other horses that have only one
    run obviously like to race that way. Now if a horse
    isn't having success and I'm put on him for the first
    time, sometimes I'll try and take him out of his
    routine. If he shows racing from the back every week
    I might stir him up and put him on the lead to see if
    that makes a difference or vice versa, if he's getting a
    little weak on the end of it, try and save for one run. I
    just think its getting a feel for the race and being in
    the right spot at the right time as far as the fractions
    go.


    Mike Lachance:
    "I look at the program. I never decide to do anything
    before a race. I never make a strategy before the
    race. I make it behind the gate. You never know until
    after you leave the gate with a horse. You look at a
    program you know what kind of horse you have. And
    then you know the option that you have, but you
    leave it open until the word go. I never worry about
    who's driving or anything like that. Because basically,
    also like on the Grand Circuit, you are driving with the
    same drivers all the time. The toughest race to drive
    is here (The Red Mile), the $2500 claimer. "Let's say
    I'm driving a horse that's racing that show good lines
    on program, but he's not winning. A horse like that,
    I'm going to try to find something that I can do to
    help him."
The "Technique of Winning"
KyHarnessRacing.com

    Dave Palone, John Campbell, Mike Lachance, Ron
    Pierce, and many more like them.

    Have you ever wondered if the driver had a
    "Technique of Winning". To find out....You will need
    to read this Q&A article.  

    Question was sent to us from Lexington, Ky.

    Question: My question is a driver question.

    Since drivers can make a huge difference in winning
    and losing, what is the technique of winning for a
    driver like Dave Palone? John Campbell? Mike
    Lachance?