By:Ken Weingartner
Tom Charters has been involved in harness racing for 35 years, but he can still remember the instant he fell in love with the sport.
“I can pinpoint the moment,” Mr. Charters said. “I went to a fair in London (Ohio) and I saw the son of a horse trainer I knew, who was the same age as me, leading a horse. I thought it was the most exciting thing.
“That was the first time I was up close to a horse. It was the most exciting, romantic thing I could think of at that moment.”
It still ranks up there.
Mr. Charters, a Cranbury resident, is president and chief executive officer of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown, which is a nonprofit organization designed to support the harness racing industry through the development, administration and promotion of stakes races and special events.
The Hambletonian Society was founded in 1925 to sponsor the Hambletonian Stakes, and has since grown to include the Hambletonian Oaks and Breeders Crown championships. The organization is based in East Brunswick.
On Saturday night, Mr. Charters will receive the Harness Tracks of America’s first Distinguished Service Medallion during the HTA’s Nova Awards Dinner in Orlando, Fla.
“I didn’t quite believe it,” said Mr. Charters, a Springfield, Ohio, native. “I’m stunned by it. It seems there are people who would be more deserving. I see the people I’m being honored with, and it’s really kind of amazing. It’s a real honor.”
Also being recognized are: LaVerne Hill, president of Mid-America Racing Association racing at Scioto Downs in Ohio; television producer Mike Sheehan; and the owners of the 10 divisional champions for the 2000 season.
Mr. Charters started working at the racetrack when he was 16, going to work for trainer Dick Hackett. He worked with Mr. Hackett for three summers.
“When everybody else was working in the grocery stores or mowing grass, I had this great job,” he said. “It seemed real exciting compared to other people’s lives. I was immersed in it and loved it.”
He eventually began working for legendary trainer/driver Delvin Miller, who was a constant source of encouragement until his death in 1996. While working for Mr. Miller in the early 1970s, Mr. Charters cared for the great trotting mare Delmonica Hanover as well as the trotter Spitfire Hanover.
“Delvin was not only a great horseman, but he was well-connected,” Mr. Charters said. “I don’t think I’ve had a job in the last 25 years that Delvin didn’t suggest to me or put my name in for. He was really my mentor.”
Mr. Miller was ready to send Mr. Charters several horses to train. However, an injury at the time prevented Mr. Charters from accepting the job. Mr. Miller then asked if Mr. Charters would like to become assistant racing secretary at The Meadows, a western Pennsylvania track founded by Mr. Miller.
After working six years as the assistant racing secretary, Mr. Charters became the racing secretary in 1980. Three years later, he left The Meadows to become director of racing and racing secretary for the newly opened Macau Trotting Club in China.
He returned to the United States in 1985 and started working for the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown. He has been president and chief executive officer of the society since 1998.
“I’m sure you make decisions in your life, but a lot of it just falls your way,” Mr. Charters said. “If I had not gone to Macau, I’d probably still be in western Pennsylvania. I’ve been real lucky.”
Mr. Charters said he treats his job, particularly as it relates to the Hambletonian, as a “sacred trust.” Starting in 1981, the race has been held at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford.
“I read about it when I was younger,” he said. “It’s like reading about the Kentucky Derby or the World Series and then being responsible for it. There’s a lot of history and tradition, but at the same time you’ve got to keep it dynamic and moving forward.”
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the race in 2000, the society worked with author Dean Hoffman on a book titled “America’s Trotting Classic,” and a documentary titled “The Race to Glory,” which aired on NJN.
Mr. Charters remembered telling Trevor Ritchie, who drove Yankee Paco to victory at last year’s Hambletonian, how the triumph can remain a part of the winners’ lives forever.
“It’s exciting for them,” Mr. Charters said. “It appears in their obituaries, that they won the Hambletonian. It’s one of those events that’s significant in their lives. To be involved in that is a real privilege. I keep it in perspective, but it’s a real pleasure.”
Mr. Charters believes the sport, overall, is heading in a good direction. One thing he’d like to see in the future is international simulcasting, he said.
“Handle is at an all-time high,” Mr. Charters said. “We’re very lucky in working with the Meadowlands. They’ve focused their energy on big events and big days. I’m pleased they think that’s the way to attract the casual fans, or potential casual fans. I think that’s where there is tremendous growth.
“It’s a niche sport, but it’s got its following, especially at the upper end where you have the big stars and the big horsemen.”
Mr. Charters, 52, said he would like to work for the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown for the rest of his career.
“I’m content to work here until the day I drop,” he said. “I’ve got a staff that makes me look awfully good. I get a salary to go around and watch great horses race. I’ve been real blessed.”
