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Heather Vitale is a third-generation in the harness racing business. Although she grew up enjoying the hands-on experience of working with horses, the licensed trainer found her forte in the sport to be through the avenue of publicity.
The charismatic personality currently hosts two popular television shows about Standardbred racing: Post Time and PA Harness Week. Post Time airs on the Delmarva Sports Network and covers racing at Bally’s DBally’sarrington Raceway and Ocean Downs. PA Harness Week on NBC Sports Philadelphia covers racing at Harrah’s Harrah’sphia and The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
In addition to her local weekly productions, Vitale has covered racing nationally on CBS Sports, ESPN2 and MAV-TV. With popular social media platforms, the Delaware native has travelled to tracks nationwide, bringing exposure to signature events and race meets. The Hambletonian, Breeders Crown, International Trot, Running Aces, Shenandoah Downs, Pinehurst Training Center Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and the Harrisburg Sale are just some of the races and tracks Vitale has been to recently. Harness Racing Update’s Training is an annual series Vitale hosts. She gets reports from top trainers to see how their horses are conditioning for the new stakes season. She has also travelled internationally to Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and New Zealand to report on harness horses.
Vitale has also covered the sport of Thoroughbred racing. In the late 1990s, she appeared on Fox Sports West at Hollywood Park. In recent years, she’s used social media to report on The Bluegrass at Keeneland and the first two Pegasus World Cups from Gulfstream Park.
The energetic mom of two sons, Wyatt (22) and Trey (16), has been called “Harness “acing’s Racing” for her”unconventional interviews and “when in doubt add glitter” attitude,” bringing a unique sparkle to the sport and grabbing the attention of new fans. She brings a behind-the-scenes and fresh look at horse racing to the fans and a candid look at her life in the sport.
Heather considers one of her greatest accomplishments to be the driving force behind making the richest harness horse in history, Foiled Again, a collectible model horse for the famous Breyer company.
Her work promoting the sport of harness racing has earned her two Broadcasting Excellence Awards from the United States Harness Writers Association, a Clyde Hirt Media Award, the 2018 United States Harness Writers AssociatiAssociation’sf the Year and Best Media Video Feature by Harness Racing Victoria (Australia) when she spotlighted champion pacer Lennytheshark
