Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Yannick Gingras. Sweet kid, great harness racer and all around good guy. Don’t call him a jockey – he’s a driver. He tells us how rewarding this business can be... and why an accounting degree can come in pretty handy.
TrackPack: So give us your stats.
Yannick Gringas: I’m 30. I was born in Quebec, Canada. I moved to states in 2001, so I’ve been racing year a little over nine years.
They know if it’s a photo finish and will actually stick out their noses to be first over the line.
- Yannick Gringas, Driver
TP: What’s your racing record?
YG: I just went over 3000 wins a week ago. That’s over $50 million in winnings.
TP (spits out drink): Did you say $50 million???
YG: Yep. It’s a nice achievement... but I hope to have a lot more in the future.
TP: I bet. Tell us, do you talk with the horses?
YG: Ha! I can’t talk to ‘em. But I can make 'em go fast.
TP: Really, how do you do that?
YG: Just by knowing them. Knowing when to pull back. Knowing when to make ‘em run. Every horse is different.
TP: Now how fast to these sulkies go?
YG: I’d say 35-37 miles an hour. It’s definitely a thrill.
TP: It’s dangerous, right?
YG: Oh yeah. I broke my collarbone. Other guys have broken way more than me.
TP: I bet you loved the movie Ben Hur as a kid? These are modern day chariots.
YG: My favorite moving growing up was Black Stallion. I probably watched that 3 million times.
TP: Who’s smarter? The horse or the driver?
YG: Oh they’re definitely smarter than we are. They don’t really need us. They know why they’re out there.
TP: Do the horses “want to win?”
YG: Yep! They know if it’s a photo finish and will actually stick out their noses to be first over the line. Some don’t really want to win. I try to avoid them.
TP: Tell us about your Green and White silks?
YG: These are my family’s colors. My grandfather raced under these colors and my dad changed them a bit... but these are our family’s. It’s history.
TP: When did you first realize you wanted to be a jockey/driver?
YG: Since I was real little. But around 12 years old I moved away and doubted that I wanted to be a driver. I just wanted to hang out with my friends. In fact, my mom wanted me to be an accountant. So I went to college and got my accountant degree. But I knew right away it wasn’t for me. So I went right back to harness racing.
TP: Any favorite horses?
YG: Darling’s Delight. She is a sweetheart. Nicest to drive. And I made the most money with her than any other horse. Just shy of $3 million dollars.
TP: Do you have a favorite stable you drive for?
YG: I’ll drive for anyone who wants me. I’ll drive for a lot of different stables. No one stable has enough horses to keep a driver busy.
TP: Do you have an agent?
YG: No, but I should. I hate to make decisions. Sometimes two or three owners want you to race for them. You have to choose, so somebody’s gonna be unhappy.
TP: Do you get paid per race?
YG: We get 5% of what our horse wins. If I don’t win, I walk away with nothing.
TP: How many races do you race a day? A week? A year?
YG: 10 to 12 races a day. Five days a week. I could race 7 days a week if I wanted to... But I have two kids and I like the balance in my life.
TP: Do you race all over?
YG: Yeah. But I like Pennsylvania. Pocono Downs is great. And so is Chester. I’m always excited to race there.
TP: Do you have any nemesis on the track? Any rivalries?
YG: No, I keep it friendly. Most of my best friends are outside of the industry. I like it that way.
TP: What advice would you give a young kid trying to get in the racing game?
YG: Be around horses. Work in the stables. It’s hard work, but very, very rewarding. It’s definitely a lot of fun.
