Shetler reaches 2,000 career wins with Indy Downs driving triple

Veteran horseman Dan Shetler piloted his 2,000th career winner Wednesday evening, October 8 at Indiana Downs. The trainer registered a driving triple on the program, capped by the milestone win in the night’s 10th race with freshman pacer Ragin Watts. The victory marked his 101st of the year.

In typical Shetler fashion, winners 1,998 and 1,999 came in stakes action with young trotters. The 58-year-old conditioner swept both $15,000 Indiana Sires Stakes divisions for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters, guiding ABC Garland geldings Justlikegarland and ABCDE to decisive victories. He reached the milestone with Kilowatt gelding Ragin Watts. The freshman is out of former ISS champion Ragin Rachael.

“I never really thought about milestones, and I never really set any goals,” commented Shetler, who has sent out 527 winners as a trainer. “I just took it as it came.”

Shetler’s career as a catch driver began in Illinois in 1969. That first year he made five starts, winning four times for purses of $6,120. The Kalona, Iowa native became a formidable driver on the Chicago circuit over the next 15 years, reaching 1,000 career wins in 1984. The next year he left the Windy City for Castleton Farm and the Grand Circuit.

In recent years, Shetler has enjoyed a great deal of success in Indiana. He has been associated with several Indiana Sires Stakes champions, but is most recognized in the state for his work with trotter Sheezhomewardbound. The Vision’s Pride mare won five straight ISS finals, beginning at age three, and bankrolled $573,557 during her illustrious career.

Shetler is enjoying his most successful campaign as a driver since the 1984 season, when he scored 125 wins. He was the leading dash winner during the early portion of The Red Mile’s fall meet, steering 42 winners. The conditioner admits the honor came unexpectedly. For his career, Shetler has purse earnings of just under $17 million as a driver.

“I’ve done more driving this year than in the past,” he explained. “I’ve cut my stable back a little bit, and that has created more opportunities to catch drive for some people. I’ve been fortunate to drive some nice horses this year.”

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