Dale Hiteman Drives His 7,000 Career Winner
Chicago reinsman Dale Hiteman's roots in harness racing began at a young age, as the successful Ohio-transplant was spawned by long-time Buckeye horseman Omar Hiteman and his wife Bertha, of Wilmington, Ohio.
Now 48 and a resident of Westville, Indiana, Dale has amassed $52 million in purse earnings lifetime and visited the winner's circle over 7,000 times in his twenty-year harness racing career. He attained that magical plateau on Friday night, November 12, steering a pacer to victory.
Dale says that he never considered another profession, but unlike some youngsters, who are born into harness racing families, was not allowed to pursue a driving career until he had graduated from Lebanon High School.
"My father wanted me to finish high school before I started driving," Dale remembered. "I couldn't wait to get started full time with the horses. I always knew that I wanted to drive, but Dad was afraid that if I got too involved with the horses early on, that I'd quit high school."
Dale, who is noted for his aggressive driving style, says that his early experiences at Lebanon Raceway in Ohio and on the Ohio County Fair circuit helped to shape his unique driving style.
"I was naturally aggressive and racing on those half-milers in Ohio made me ever more so," Dale said. "When I came to Chicago in the late 1970s, my style really didn't change all that much. We do have some young drivers in Chicago now that are very aggressive, but I still consider myself very aggressive. I think probably I've become more patient than I used to be in the last few years up here."
Dale recorded $667,941 and 532 victories before venturing to the Windy City in 1979.
"I thought at the time that I was doing fairly well in Ohio, but that for all the work I was putting in that I really wasn't reaping the kind of money that I thought I should be making," Dale explained. "That's really what prompted my move to Chicago more than anything else."
Dale recorded his first $1 million year in 1982. A diligent student of the sport, the former Ohio All-State wrestling champ says that studying his competition is a must.
"Every night before and during the races, I constantly study the program...usually, if I get the program a day early I try to consider each race. As the actual race night progresses, I try to adjust my driving style accordingly, incorporating new strategy into that night's race if need be, or changing to accommodate the horse or the race track, depending on that night's conditions.
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