The 2026 meet at Harrah’s Philadelphia is just getting started, and it already looks like a season of harness racing records.
Driver Johnathan Ahle picked up his 1000th win on Friday, May 15, guiding Staying At Tony’s to a 2 1/4 length win in one of the two $12,000 features. The final time for the Tony Alagna-trained filly, whose Alagna Racing LLC co-owns the winner with Brad Grant, was 1:53.
“It definitely feels good to hit that 1000!” he said with a smile, admitting he didn’t feel that pressure to get to that magic number. “I just said ‘it will happen’ so, no need to add pressure!”
Coming off a winter driving at the Meadowlands, Johnathan jumped back in at Harrah’s Philly with both feet, thrilled for the sunshine and warmer temps. “I wasn’t doing great at the Meadowlands, racing Fridays and Saturdays over the winter. The weather was tough! Things seem to be pickup up for me now, though.”
His career has taken him from Ocean Downs to Rosecroft Raceway; from Freehold to the Meadowlands; and from Harrah’s Philadelphia to Pocono, and he has developed a preference for driving on a certain size track. “Definitely a mile track, or even 5/8. They’re certainly more fun, more even.”
Despite having no background in racing, the now 29-year-old from New Jersey started from the ground up, literally, working in the barn as a groom for trainer Shaun Vallee for about four or five years. Driving in the Amateur races followed, leading to overnights and more.
His 31 amateur starts yielded 3 wins in 2022, and now 4 years later, the milestone of 1000 wins!
The opportunity to drive against UFC champion Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliviera was memorable and “a lot of fun”, according to Johnathan. “He was super nice when I spoke to him. He was so grateful to be able to drive here. Every race was the Hambletonian to him! It was so great for the sport.”
This Sunday, he’s especially looking forward to the $611,815 Super Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with 15 races, including three $100,000 Invitationals, as well as Pennsylvania Stallion Series and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. He’s listed to drive Rasaji Hanover in race 9 for trainer Roland Mallar.
“He can definitely go with that group,” he said about the Stay Hungry-Rockingcam colt. “Polie (Mallar) does a great job.”
With the busy spring and summer racing coming up fast, he’s looking forward to keeping the momentum going and keeping busy in the bike.
“I’ll be racing at Harrah’s,”he said. “I’m planning on racing at Meadowlands, too, and at some point, I’ll head up to Pocono.”
Keeping busy, focused, and strategizing for his next race, Johnathan Ahle is well on his way to his next driving milestone!
Cover Image Credit to Grace Zimmers
