PLAYHORSE • THE INTERVIEW
The Call of a Lifetime
Jason Settlemoir on Harness Racing’s Past, Present and Future
From childhood visits to Scioto Downs to calling the Little Brown Jug, Jason Settlemoir has built a life around harness racing. In this PLAYHORSE interview, he reflects on the Meadowlands, the sport’s next generation and the lessons he has learned from Jeff Gural.
Interview by Jay Shapiro | PLAYHORSE Magazine
PLAYHORSE
What first hooked you on harness racing, and when did you realize you wanted to build your career around it? Is there a particular horse, race or person who made that decision feel inevitable?
Jason Settlemoir: My dad and mom started taking me to the races at Scioto Downs when I was around 5 years old. My dad took me to the Little Brown Jug in 1988, and I have not missed one since. Everyone knows where I am every year on the third Thursday after Labor Day! Delaware, Ohio...
I called my first race at our local county fair, the Hartford Independent Fair in Croton, Ohio, in 1989.
PLAYHORSE
You called your first Little Brown Jug in 2025 after Roger Huston handed you the microphone. What did that moment mean to you personally, and what has announcing taught you about what makes a race exciting to spectators?
Jason Settlemoir: I had dreamed about calling the Little Brown Jug since I was 13 years old. The moment was very surreal to me—another dream coming true. It was also very sentimental, as Roger (Huston) and I have formed a very close bond over the years.
“I had dreamed about calling the Little Brown Jug since I was 13 years old.”
JASON SETTLEMOIR
PLAYHORSE
As the Meadowlands celebrates its 50th anniversary, what part of its identity must never change—and what part needs to evolve to connect with the next generation?
Jason Settlemoir: The history of the Meadowlands Racetrack as the premier harness racing venue in North America and the world must never change. It’s a brand, it’s iconic, it’s the Meadowlands Racetrack and known for the best harness racing in the world.
We need to not only get more butts in the grandstand watching the races as a sport, but we must also get new owners, trainers, drivers, grooms and racetrack management to get involved.
The entire sport must do a better job of policing itself from an integrity standpoint, and we need to earmark money not only for integrity but marketing as well.
PLAYHORSE
What has working with Jeff Gural taught you about running a racetrack? Can you share a behind-the-scenes moment that illustrates how the two of you approach a difficult decision?
Jason Settlemoir: To dot my i’s and cross my t’s. It’s all about details and customer service. Jeff and I have worked on numerous projects over the 20 years I have worked for him, and he has taught me not only how to be a better professional but also a better human being.
Jeff taught me very early on, when we were opening Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs in upstate New York together, not to be afraid of making mistakes, but never to repeat those mistakes again.
We approach each and every situation and decision with details, details and more details before making a final decision.
