A pair of harness racing legends - Erv Miller and Fred Kersley
Western Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame Inductee Fred Kersley met celebrated American trainer Erv Miller at yesterday’s barrier draw function for the 2017 TABtouch Inter Dominion Final.
Born on 11th December 1966 in the Amish community of Arthur in Illinois, Erv Miller has put together a remarkable record as a trainer and since the USTA began keeping training records in 1992 Erv Miller has trained 5,100 winners of some $78,691,123 in stakes.
Those figures place Erv in 4th place on the stakemoney won list of American trainers and 3rd on the list of leading trainers by number of races won.
By way of comparison Western Australia’s leading trainer, in terms of career wins, Gary Hall Snr has trained the winners of some 2446 races and $33,619,313 in the same period.
Fred Kersley trained 2285 winners including 1565 in Perth, where he was a 14 time Premiership Trainer, before switching to thoroughbreds where he gained fame as the trainer of the legendary Perth galloper Northerly.
Northerly won 19 of his 37 career starts and stakes of $9,341,850 including nine Group One wins in the Cox Plate (2), Australian Cup (2), Underwood Stakes (2), Caulfield Cup, Yalumba Stakes and Railway Stakes.
In 2004 Erv Miller was honoured by the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association with its Person of the Year Award and in 2005 Miller was presented with the Brian Pinske Memorial Award for his achievements on the Grand Circuit.
That same year, 2005, Miller won the Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year Award from the United States Harness Writers Association and the Delvin Miller Trainer of the Year Award from the Grand Circuit.
Among the better horses that Erv Miller has trained are the 2010 2yo US Breeders Crown Trotting Champion colt Manofmanymissions, the three-time Dan Patch Award pacing winner Loyal Opposition (56 wins in 98 starts and $2,861,294) and the unbeaten 2yo pacing filly Incredible Tillie (12 wins from 12 starts as 2yo for $512,782).
Miller also trained Lis Mara, Shark Gesture and Shadyshark Hanover and that trio of stallions are currently standing at stud in either New Zealand or Australia.
Erv and his son Marcus like the chances of Western Australia’s champion Chicago Bull in the Inter Dominion Final and at yesterday’s function they followed their opinion by paying second top price of $2,550 for Chicago Bull in the Inter Dominion Calcutta.
