Mike Wilder is enjoying his second winter working with young horses in Florida, and the emphasis is on the word “enjoying.” The 49-year-old Wilder has driven in only one race since November 5, which was a fourth-place finish with Fourever Boy in the Governor’s Cup at The Meadowlands.
Since then, Wilder has been at Spring Garden Ranch, where he is helping father-in-law Dan Altmeyer prepare the Altmeyer Wilder Racing stable’s horses for the 2022 season.
Last year, Wilder made his fewest starts since 1993 — driving in 1,227 races — after spending the better part of five months in Florida, November through March. Nonetheless, Wilder finished third in the win standings at his home track, The Meadows, giving him his fourth consecutive top-three finish at the western Pennsylvania oval.
Wilder, a native of Ohio, began driving in matinees at the age of 14 and got his first raceway win at 18 at Lebanon, where he went on to win multiple driving titles. He also was a top driver at Scioto Downs before moving to The Meadows in 2001.
For his career, Wilder has won 8,564 races and $71 million in purses.
The U.S. Trotting Association’s Wendy Ross recently caught up with Wilder at Spring Garden Ranch to discuss his time in the Sunshine State.
“It’s awesome,” said Wilder. “This is the second winter I’ve come down here, and I always tell (my wife) Heather that I hope I never have to spend another winter north. It’s quite enjoyable. It’s a recharge for me, it’s refreshing, and I love training the babies.”
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(USTA)