Kamali Tucker and Teshi Zuill are two young drivers on the rise among local harness racing with their talent in the bike offering promise for the future, both for themselves and the sport.

A scant three years into his racing career, Zuill, 16, has established his self-trained gelding, Somegoldsomewhere, as a force in the Free for All division, which features the Island’s fastest ponies. He has also taken on the task of improving the lot of Bellhaven Stables’ stallion Reel Desire.

Meanwhile, Tucker, also 16 and the daughter of Kwame Tucker, a former Bermuda cricketer, was encouraged into the sport through the efforts of Candyce Martins, and on Sunday she advanced Ryan Manders’s A Touch of Red into the Junior Free for All, a notch below the most elite class.

Both have prior experience riding horses but their driving styles contrast, with their differences shaping what is already an excitingly intense on-track rivalry.

“I originally started at Bellhaven Stables with Candyce Martins and her family,” explained Tucker of her racing beginning.

“I used to come down and help her and then one day she suggested I try it myself. I started jogging and training and then I started racing and really enjoyed it. But I do horse riding as well, so this is just for fun.”

Tucker, riding Rockeyed Optimist in place of owner/trainer/driver Maurice Raynor, offered proof of the daredevil mindset required during the course of a masterclass exhibition of short-track passing when matched up against Zuill and Martins in Sunday’s second heat of the Free for All division [1:04/0 and faster].

From second position she thrilled with her ability to systematically track down Zuill and Somegoldsomewhere, surging along the back stretch, overcoming Zuill and his attempts to block between turns three and four for the win.

“For the race with Rockeyed Optimist there was no initial plan,” said Tucker, whose refinement contrasts Zuill’s somewhat brutish approach.

“He’s a very big and strong horse and I knew that he had it in him. I knew that I had to stay on top of Teshi just ahead of me and be able to pull out in front of him.

“I sat there and when I called on him he responded right away. We won and ran a 1:05/4, which is his fastest time of the season.”

While Tucker displays a bubbly, sociable, extrovert manner, Zuill is quietly reserved, short-spoken and content in his own company. But put him in the bike and the Saltus student explodes in fiery voice and aggression that can often draw unwanted attention from race judges.

Eagerly casting aside notions of finesse Zuill is often willing to test the boundaries in his quest for speed in victory. He has brought his share of winning success to Paul Martins’s Bellhaven Stables in the two years since being brought on board at the urging of Candyce.

“I used to take riding lessons and Candyce is my cousin,” Zuill said.

“She asked me if I wanted to get into racing and I said, ‘Sure’. Ever since then I’ve been doing it. I like horses in general and it’s just fun.

“This is my third season of racing and I do a lot of screaming. I know I don’t have to, but I do it anyway and it keeps him going.”

“I own this horse [Somegoldwomewhere] so I spend a lot of time with him. I spend time with some others, but me and him are connected the most.

“I try to take a calm mindset in races. Having my mind at ease, away from distractions, but focused on what I’m doing and what I want to accomplish in a particular race.

“It’s not always about going for the win. It depends on the strategy for progressing the animal.”

Having had a taste of large-track racing while assisting Martins at Indiana’s Nappanee Raceway, Zuill is anxious for a return visit to the Mid-west with a goal of someday driving a Standardbred, the American breed most known and revered in harness racing.

“I want to eventually be able to race a Standardbred and be able to train them,” said Zuill. “I went to Indiana this summer and was driving racing ponies over there, while helping Candyce out.

“Eventually I would like to go back there and do more racing and work with the horses.”

Martins, the common denominator between Tucker and Zuill expressed pleasure at being able to witness their development in the sport.

“They have both grown a lot,” Candyce said. “They’re now a few seasons in and both are learning as they go.

“There has been a lot of improvement over the last few seasons and they’ll only get better with time and experience.”