Recent Postings
Subscribe to our NewsletterHappy Easter
April 19, 2014
Happy Easter To Everyone .......This year with a relatively late observance of Easter Sunday, we are supposed to have a late spring according to folk lore .So far that old wisdom seems to be true .
The observance of Easter is a wonderful way to start a new season .Experiencing the rebirth of everything living is a miracle in itself .To see buds emerge from previously dormant trees and shrubs is inspirational .The warmth of the sun and the greening of the landscape gives new hope once again .The birth of farm animals is always a special occurrence .I love to drive across the countryside and see the spring planting ;it brings back special memories .Hopefully that will be soon .
In the old days of racing there was seldom any racing yet at Easter but by that time the winter training season was over and some horses were being "turned" as they used to say as they were being trained the right way of the track and some speed was being asked for .
Because of foaling taking place around Easter I suspect that a number of horses were named based on being born either on Easter Sunday or at a time close to it .I can recall such names as Easter Sunday Bars , Easter Sonnet,Easter Goose,Easter Royal,Easter Parade,Easter Rose,Easter Dawn ,Easter Majesty ....and the list could go on forever .
I hope everyone enjoys their Easter season and many will observe it by gathering with loved ones on Sunday to savour the many foods associated with this time of year .
Gertrude Seiling Passes
August 15, 2014
I wish to extend my condolences to the family of the late Gertrude Seiling of Elmira who passed away on August 12,2014 . She had lived a long and fulfilling life and was just a couple days short of her 90th birthday .The Seiling name has been prominent for many years in both Canadian harness racing and hockey .
Within the last year or so despite her age, she took time to email me on more than one occasion and to recall her many happy memories of attending races at the small town spots around her home . She remembered the many good horses her husband Donald and her father in law Albert had raced,among them Bardot Hanover and Albert's Star . She also discussed her concern for the direction the sport had taken in recent times .
Mrs. Seiling is a great example of the wonderful mothers of years ago who worked so diligently behind the scenes to raise good families and to nurture each one in a special way .God bless her as she ends her earthly journey .
Wm. Galvin Appointed To Chaplaincy Board
September 8, 2014
Ken Carter, Chaplain of the Standardbred Race Track Chaplaincy of Canada, has announced the appointment of Bill Galvin to his Chaplaincy’s board of directors.
Galvin began his career in harness racing as a groom on the backstretches of North American racetracks. He then toiled with the Ontario Jockey Club and the Canadian Trotting Association as a harness publicist and promoter of the sport during the golden era of night harness racing in the 1980s. He received his formal education at the University of Ottawa and Wayne State University in Detroit and is a recent inductee into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Galvin is also a council member of the Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada (Ontario) for Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine Racetrack and the Fort Erie Race Track.
Galvin joins a group of eight Chaplaincy directors for Chaplain Ken’s non-denominational, evangelical fellowship, non-profit charity dedicated to providing for the spiritual, emotional, physical and human needs of the horse racing work force in southwestern Ontario. Food and clothing, legal and financial referrals and pastoral counseling are some of the services provided by the Chaplaincy.
Chaplain Ken visits the sick and injured workers in hospital, officiates at weddings, funerals, baptisms and memorial services, organizes wholesome on-track events and makes referrals to AA meetings. All are part of his day-to-day duties.
Chaplain Carter is a career horseman. He became a blacksmith at an early age and has trained and driven harness horses. Previous to assuming his Chaplaincy post at Mohawk Racetrack nine years ago, he pastored a church in Grand Valley, Ont.
Since the closing of Mohawk Racetrack, Chaplain Ken’s travels take him to visit horsemen at harness racing training centres all over southwestern Ontario.
(Standardbred Race Track Chaplaincy of Canada)
A Bit More About Rex Hughes
A while back I received a nice note from a lady named Ellen R. ( I will leave out her last name as a courtesy to her) who enjoyed reading about her uncle Rex Hughes .I have decided to repost the piece about Rex . I thank her for being in touch and I did encourage her to use the piece in her family tree .
She wrote :
"Thank you for your recollection of Uncle Rex, he was an interesting character who shared his love of horses and racing with everyone. You summed him up perfectly. Just yesterday my brother mentioned mixing and bottling liniment in the kitchen with Rex in Arthur. I would appreciate your permission allowing me to include his pic and bio with my aunt Peggy's in our family tree. Great site, great history, thanks again."
Ellen R.
Lynden Bye Bye Wins 1972 Queen City Pace
March 22, 2014
Lynden Bye Bye (2) hits the wire a winner in the 1972 Queens City Pace for driver Harold McKinley and owner Maxwell Webster . Second in the picture is Hilarious Way (7) driven by John Simpson Jr. [Webster family photo]
Lynden Bye Bye Victory Highlights Grand Circuit Week July 17 - July 22 1972 - 40 + Years Ago
Racing fans in attendance at downtown Toronto's Greenwood Racetrack were treated to a special week of Grand Circuit racing Monday July 17th through Saturday July 22,1972 . All week long the best of the best the sport had to offer were on parade . The culmination of the week's events was held on Saturday evening with the staging of The Queen's City Pace for three year old colts and geldings . It brought together 10 of the best sophomore side wheelers on the Continent and served as a preliminary warm up for other events later in the year .As an example
several
of the entrants faced off again in August in the Prix D'Ete and also in late September at the Jug in Delaware ..At the time this race was in its 9th year of existence and carried an extremely attractive purse in excess of $26,000 . The race eventually changed in 1984 to "The Pepsi North American Cup"
now
the sport's premiere event
.
Forty years after this date, the purse had risen to a cool 1.5 million $$
Quite a nice little "bump" from its early years .
Queens City Pace -Purse $26,600 (July 22,1972)
The winners circle was a happy place following the victory by Lynden Bye Bye in the 1972 Queens City Pace .Joining the horse and driver Harold McKinley are from left Elgin Armstrong ,Audrey McKinley (partially obscured) owners Fay and Max Webster (holding the Cup) [Webster family photo]
The race itself was one of the wildest and most bizarre events in Greenwood history . The winner Lynden Bye Bye came into the event as a rank outsider and was even dubbed by the press as "a Joke" as the fastest mile he had recorded up to this point was 2:03.2 .With heavyweights such as Strike Out and Silent Majority heavily
favored
and drawing all the pre race attention, Lynden Bye Bye was sent off at odds in excess of 70-1 . As most people know anything can happen in a horse race and often does .The pre race picks provided most of the early heroics and with Silent Majority leading by a good length in deep stretch it looked like he had the race won . However the late proverbial "Cavalry Charge" occurred and at the wire 4 horses were just heads apart .Apparently some "activity" had taken place in the stretch run and immediately following the race, Yves Filion driver of Bob Hilton lodged a claim of foul against Lynden Bye Bye's pilot Harold McKinley .Reportedly as McKinley headed for the winner's enclosure, 9 other drivers stood in amazement while grooms hustled to grab pails and blankets ,stunned by what they had just witnessed .
Because of the objection, second place finisher Hilarious Way and driver John Simpson Jr. were "standing by" awaiting the judge's ruling . Another driver from the race Russ Furness was vocal about his thoughts and expressed them to Simpson ...." His number has to come down (meaning Lynden Bye Bye) ;I got 5 days recently for less than that ! . " Meanwhile Simpson stated his view of the situation and he obviously had much more at stake ..." I dunno"he told Furness ;that's a local Canadian horse standing outside the winner's circle ;he's gotta be a pretty popular winner here ....
Long Judge's Delay
A long delay followed while the Greenwood judges huddled to sort out the outcome . Some 15 minutes later
a jubilant Harold McKinley and owner Max Webster and his connections breathed a sigh of relief as their number was posted along with the "OFFICIAL" sign . A murmur went through the crowd as a winning payoff of $151.30 for a two dollar wager also lit up the tote board .Following the unbelievable outcome Mr. Webster
through a mile wide smile
was quoted as saying "This horse has been staked all along ...now it's just a question of getting in there and showing what he can do " . Owner Webster had maintained high hopes for this son of Bye Bye Byrd out of the mare Romola Adios and tonight's performance renewed his faith . The headline in Monday's Montreal Gazette racing page read "Strike Out ,Majority Stunned In Queen City ".This was not Mr. Webster's first experience at winning big races and it was not in fact his first trip to the Queen's City winner's circle celebrations . In 1967 his Lynden Dodger won that year's edition of this very same race .
At that time the purse of $13,225 was just half of the 1972 prize
.
The winning driver in 1967 was Bob Silliphant who handled the Webster string for a number of years .
The mile time of 1:59.2 was the fastest recorded during Grand Circuit Week and was just the second sub 2:00 clocking of the great 6 days of racing . Earlier in the week Romalie Hanover a 3 year old pacing filly driven by Roland Be
aulieu
went in 1:59.4 in winning the Constance Scott 3 Year Old Filly Pace beating Saucy Wave ,Hope Diamond and 7 others in the $21,000 event .On the trotting side
,
Super Bowl blazed home on Tuesday evening to win The Greenwood 3 Year old Trot in 2:00.2 with Stanley Dancer up .While much of the week belonged to the large U.S.stables like those of Delvin Miller,Wm. Haughton and Stanley Dancer ,this night rewarded some folks much closer to home .Max Webster who later became a member of The Canadian Horseracing Hall Of Fame was involved with Canadian Harness Racing for many years .In addition to operating his automobile dealership ,he was very
active
in several other facets of the sport's organizational structure and for many years operated a highly productive breeding operation at his own "Lynden Hill Farm " .
Your Comments are welcomed at oldrecollections@gmail.com
Reader's comments : Re Lynden Bye Bye Wins Queens City Pace
Hi Robert : A great article,I enjoyed this one .I love the picture with Elgin Armstrong hiding Audrey and the cigar in his mouth .He was quite a man ! I got to be around him quite a bit with Mr. Rowe Sr. .Keep up the good work and Take Care .
From Marvin Chantler
Owner Max Webster is shown with Lynden Bye Bye as the two say a fond farewell when the horse was exported to Australia following his successful racing career [Webster family photo]
Results
Lynden Bye Bye .............1 (Harold McKinley)
Hilarious Way .................2 (John Simpson Jr.)
Silent Majority ................3
(Vernon Dancer)
Strike Out .......................4 (
Ron Waples)E B Time .........................5 (Benoit Cote)
Bob Hilton ...................... 6 (Yves Filion)
Cory ................................7
Shadow Star ...................8 (Jack Kopas)
Alley Fighter .................. 9 (John Hayes Sr.)
Armbro Mystic ................10 (Russ Furness)
Time - 1:59.2
Winning Owner - Maxwell Webster Brantford Ont.
50 Years Ago - Greenwood Opens 1964 Season
March 18, 2014
Monday March 16 ,1964 marked the earliest start ever for racing at Greenwood Raceway .The opening card of 9 races was contested under some trying conditions as the weatherman played a big part in the early going that season . Opening night saw all of the races contested at a shorter distance of either 7/8 mile or 13/16 mile .The year 1964 marked the 4th season of racing under the lights at Greenwood .
The first race of the season went to a 10 year old trotter named DETERMINE ,owned by Ernie Fox of Toronto Ont. . In the bike for the season's kick off was Wes Coke ,just 20 years of age at the time .In the second, Black Silver completed the daily double for driver Clarence Hilliard .In the third,Lemac trotted home a winner in 2:00.3 (13/16 mi) for co-owner and driver Ronnie Feagan,with Peggy P Prologue second .The fourth race went to Dale Mite in a $1500 Claimer for Ken Galbraith .Armbro Bingo was the fifth race victor ,piloted by Harold McKinley .In the sixth, Tom Tally was the winner in a short field of 6 for driver John Hayes Sr. . In the seventh, Frisco Van R. gave Clarence Lockhart his first of two victories on the card going a 7/8 mile distance .He was also the co-owner of this one along with Greta and Hayward Sly, all of Collingwood . The eighth contest was the feature of the evening ,a 4 Yr. & Up Invitation for a purse of $ 3,000, and it went to Muddy Hanover driven by Keith Waples ,with Armbro Express second . The evening's card closed out with Sugar Hill Mont home first in race nine ,giving "Shorty" Lockhart his second winner's circle visit of the inaugural card ; this one he was also the owner .
Rain continued to play a huge factor in the first week of the 1964 season but the races went on each evening as planned . The track was so heavy that on the Saturday night card of week one ,both ends of the daily double were recorded in mile times of less than 2:20 .In the opener Goldie Elgin W splashed home in 2:23 for Retta Herrington and in the second,the 10 year old former sensation Bimbo Chief Can hit the wire first in 2:22.2 for Wes Coke and owner Joe Booth . LOTS of clean up !!
Other drivers not already mentioned who had at least one winning drive during that week included (in alphabetical order) :
Bruce Clements,Pat Crowe,Herb Farrington, Ivan Farr, Renald Filion,Dr. John Findley, Jacob Geisel Jr., Don Gillis,Jack Gordon, Bill [Ancaster]Harvey,Carman Hie, Almer Holmes,Jimmy Holmes, Fred Hill, Harry Ingles, Gord Kingston,, Marcel L'Heureux, Bert Madill,Peter Miller, Del MacTavish,Mac MacRae ,Don McNutt,Harley McFarland,Tom Horton,Harold Varcoe , Allan Walker
Note : The spring meeting driving champions were Keith Waples in the dash winning category with 18 wins and the U.D.R.S. title went to Dr. John Findley with an average of .476 . TWO GEMS !!
Ken Middleton Sr. Passes
March 12, 2014
Ontario harness racing lost a valuable friend and long time participant with the passing of Ken Middleton Sr. on Thursday March 6,2013 . His dedication and service to the sport dates back many years . He served in a multitude of capacities which included writing,handicapping and publicity work for the former Ontario Jockey Club . He also served in the important position of Race Secretary at various locations such as Kawartha,Elmira and Hanover . He will be remembered as the race secretary for the Rideau Canal Ice Races many years ago under organizer Wm. Galvin also his close friend .
Recollections extends condolences to the Middleton family at this sad time . Among Ken's most significant life accomplishments was the respect he had from all who knew him .His name and his deep interest in the sport is carried on by Ken and his wife Judy's son Ken Middleton Jr. .
Looking Back To 1984 And The O.S.S. - 30 Years Ago
March 1, 2014
Pictured above is Idylwood Surge 3, 201.3 f with driver and co-owner Carman Hie .This 3 year old trotting filly was a standout O.S.S. performer 30 years ago .
Overview
By 1984 the O.S.S. program was in its 11th season and with each year new records were established in every category . During the 1984 season the following statistics are highlighted :
- 38 sub two-minute miles were recorded in OSS competition
- 86 Ontario sired 2 & 3 year olds earned over $ 25,000 racing exclusively in the OSS
- Of these 10 won in excess of $ 75,000
- Of these 4 won in excess of $ 100,000
- 6 new OSS speed marks were established
Top O.S.S. Sophomore Pre Season Prospects for 1984
1984 - 30 years ago the following three year olds were selected in a pre season article by writer David Stuart as the "Horse To Beat" in each category based on gait and gender .All of these candidates performed well as two year olds as their records indicate . This summary was published early in the year prior to any O.S.S. action as sophomores and appeared in the April 11,1984 edition of The Standardbred .
Thanks to David Stuart for his research from 30 years ago . I always applaud the efforts of those who are willing to spend time assessing things and are willing to go out on the proverbial "limb" to make a few predictions .Shown below are two highly successful two year olds who were predicted to have great three year old campaigns . On the left B Cor Tamara (Allen Dell) and Lifetime Chance (Kelly Sheppard)
Three - Year Old Filly Trotter Top Prospect
B Cor Tamara 2, 2:04.4f -By Dream Of Glory
Owner & Trainer - Bill Core
Driver - Allen Dell
Other leading contenders - Linfields Girl,Idylwood Surge,Amanda Seelster
Three - Year Old Colt Trotter Top Prospect
Lifetime Chance 2,2:02.2f -By Dream Of Glory
Owner _ Max Webster Brantford Ont.
Trainer & Driver - Kelly Sheppard
Other leading contenders - JB Surge, Armbro Cagey,General D Brook
Three - Year Old Filly Pacer Top Prospect
Aromaha 2,1:59 h -ByArmbro Omaha
Owners - Richard,Dennis & Arthur Griffiths London Ont.
Trainer - Peter Davis
Driver - Terry Kerr
Other leading contenders - Rosey Dawn,Tommys Becky,Omaha Girl
Three - Year Old Colt Pacer Top Prospect
Opportunist 2, 1:58.3f - By Jonquil Hanover
Owners - Richard,Dennis & Arthur Griffiths , London Ont.
Trainer - Stew Firlotte
Drivers - Doug Brown,Rick Webb,Tom Strauss,Ron Waples
Other leading contenders - Mystery Skipper,Landfair Spirit,Looker
Listed below is a summary of the 1984 O.S.S. statistics showing what actually happened during the season .
O.S.S. Speed Records For 1984
Pictured above is MYSTERY SKIPPER one of the outstanding performers from the 1984 season .This fine 3 year old colt wrote a new chapter in the O.S.S. record books when he recorded the fastest mile in the 11 year history of the program .With Doug Arthur in the sulky the son of Senor Skipper toured the Windsor oval in a speedy 1:55 flat .Earlier in the season on June 9, he shattered all existing marks when he toured the Kawartha oval in 1:55.3
Readers Comments re O.S.S. 1984 Season
I enjoyed your article and picture on Carman Hie whom I have known since he was a teenager and always found him to be a sincere and upright individual and a real asset to the business .
From Wm McDonnell
A Trip Back To Old Woodbine -55 Years Ago -1959
February 22, 2014
Old Woodbine was such a popular place in the 1950's that even brides visited there on their wedding day .
When the summer meeting at the historic Old Woodbine track opened on the afternoon of July 1 1959,it marked the 10th season in a row for harness racing in Metropolitan Toronto .The decade long run of warm weather racing had started back in July of 1950 when Thorncliffe Park launched their renaissance of the harness sport . After 4 years, the fabled Leaside track was closed and the action moved downtown to Old Woodbine with Jim Brown as General Manager. The years that followed were memorable, and for a variety of reasons .
In previous years ,the sport played itself out at the small town tracks across the land .Now city dwelling ,"non farm" folks were starting to become fans .While the thoroughbreds had always raced in the larger cities ,the trotters and pacers were slowly but surely making a strong showing .The 1959 Old Woodbine meeting lasted a full two months ending on August 29 th . At that time a few stables moved on to Montreal where a much larger and longer season was in progress . Others either headed home, or raced at the traditional small town venues, most were connected with a fair .
On opening day, the "Inaugural Stakes" made up 4 of the afternoon's 8 races . A double heat winner was Argyel Sam, owner driven by the man from Ailsa Craig, Duncan Campbell . At age 59 ,he was the wily veteran of many campaigns .He went on to record 28 victories, enough to make him the leading teamster . Unlike the drivers of today, when he entered the winner's circle it was most often with a horse that he owned,trained and raised .Beyond that, most of his support staff was immediate family who did all of the behind the scenes duties .
The other two heats of the opening day feature were shared by the double gaited grey horse Glendale Indian driven by Dick Johnson and The Dipper handled by Doug Palmer .
Duncan Campbell Old Woodbine's leading driver of 1959 holds a trophy in this older 1953 photo [File]
By the end of the first week ,fans were appearing in larger numbers than ever . On the first Saturday matinee, the driving star with three victories on the card was veteran Cecil Coke from Petrolia Ont. .His winning entries included Jimmy Patch C and Carol T both owned by Dr. J.S. Ferguson of Chatham who at one time was President of the C.S.H.S . His other winner was Ike Grattan who was owned by Ray Taylor of Petrolia (as was Cec Coke) and this marked the 7 year old gelding's only victory of the '59 season in 29 starts .
A number of horses were multiple winners during the Old Woodbine campaign and among them was a gelding named Valuable Jerry Lee . A horse of rather obscure breeding sired by Valuable Doc , he was trained and driven to all of his victories by Ron McGee and owned by Ron's father Reg McGee an auto dealer in Goderich . Ron eventually left the ranks of training and driving and spent many years with the O.R.C. as a judge .
Among the top reinsmen in addition to Duncan Campbell were Levi "Jiggs" McFadden,Wilbert Hopkins,Murray Waples,Neil McRann,Hugh McLean,Gordon Kingston,Gordon Lawrence, "Ancaster" Bill Harvey, "Orangeville" Bill Harvey,Roy Lawson,Clarence Lockhart,Allan Walker,Keith Waples and George Gilmour . A young aspiring driver named Peter Johnston was a winner during the final week behind his father's Harriman Hanover .The win came as a sort of 20 th birthday present to the young Peterborough horseman who later became a vet .
One of the fastest miles of the meeting was turned in by a horse named Andy Byrd . Midway through the meeting the horse shipped in from Batavia along with his young 19 year old groom Bill Wellwood . A catch driver had to be secured as the horse's owner Harold Wellwood sustained a broken leg at Batavia just days before the race . "Ancaster Bill " Harvey was given the assignment and drove the horse to a winning mile of 2:02 2/5 in the Invitational event for a $ 3,500 purse . Later that fall Bill started his driving career .
The quickest mile of the entire two month meeting belonged to Champ Volo who turned in a clocking of 2:01 2/5 in winning the Canadian Cup Pace on August 22 nd for the powerful Miron Stable of Montreal with Russell Valles Key in the bike .
Change was the order of the times at Old Woodbine during this era . In 1958 an additional 4400 seats were added and in 1959 1,914 club seats were added plus a dining lounge and Director's quarters . It was a time to look more at entertaining people beyond just the races . Selling food and drinks was rising on the agenda . On the backstretch, two new 44 stall barns were built . This was the most successful meeting held at this track up this point in time . Attendance soared to 200,863 and the mutuel handle was $ 7,631,962 which meant a daily gathering averaging over 4,000 and a handle of over $ 150,000 per day .Clearly the sport was experiencing a huge growth in popularity .
The year of 1959 marked the first year that all drivers wore safety helmets .The old style soft caps soon became a part of the past and will forever serve as a symbol of the early days of harness racing . All racing was held in the afternoons or early evening as night racing was not yet allowed, but would make its way here two years later in 1961 . Most of the stables racing here were the same people who had raced in previous years at the fairs and small town spots . They relished the opportunity to get regular racing and not have to be constantly on the move .
Long gone are the days of Old Woodbine but they are still fun to recall ............. (More photos below)
Shown above is one of the winningest horses during the 1959 O. W. season . Mighty Nice a four year old mare reaches the wire a winner for driver Levi "Jiggs" McFadden and owners Jack McIntosh of Wheatley (also the trainer) and his partner Raymond Burgess of Tilbury .This mare was purchased at a sale in Delaware Ohio .She had originally been in the stable of the famous John Simpson Sr. of Hanover Shoe Farm fame but failed to reach the races under his care, so was offered for sale .In her 1959 season she was a 10 time winner in 18 starts .In the photo below Might Nice and "Jiggs" appear in the Old Woodbine winner's circle with a view of the old white picket fence that was such a memorable part of this old track.
Your comments,questions,complaints (or anything else you have to say) are welcomed at oldrecollections@gmail.com
Readers Comments :
Your trip to the Old Woodbine, now covered with high density housing, was jam packed with nostalgia and the rather humble beginnings of big time harness racing in Ontario , which grew yearly by leaps and bounds and eventually grew to become Canada's leading spectator sport in the 1980's. The lights went on at Greenwood in 1961 and Winter harness racing began in 1966. In 1973 Greenwood hosted four harness meetings and both attendance and mutuel handle continued to climb, as did purse distribution. It was truly a significant period in the steady and spectacular golden growth years of Canadian harness racing.
P.S. -Twilight racing in 1954 started with a 4:30 pm post time and racing had to be completed before dark. That was the order of the Provincial Government of the day.
From Bill Galvin
More News From Old Woodbine
February 24, 2014
Following a recent post about racing at Old Woodbine in the 1950's, Recollections follower Don Daniels sent along an interesting write up from the summer of 1958 . The July 30,1958 issue of Harness Horse carried the following write up which mentions a lot of interesting facts and "faces" . My thanks as always to Don who has a vast storehouse of information .
Small Town Racing - 60 Years Ago
February 19, 2014
Sixty years ago the sport of harness racing in Canada had a vastly different "face" that it adopted in later years . In 1954, races were held in no less than 206 different "small" towns and cities across the land . Listed by Province ,the totals were as follows ,showing the number of localities in which at least one day of racing was held . Ontario (126) ,Quebec (24), Saskatchewan (21) ,Manitoba (13) ,New Brunswick (8) ,Nova Scotia (7) ,Prince Edward Island (5) ,Alberta (3) ,British Columbia (1) .
Many of the small tracks and fairgrounds at that time were already quite old and the scene of much of the community's history . In time, many have disappeared and all that remains in most cases are a few old pictures and countless old memories .
I am indebted to Recollections follower Bev (McIntosh) Snoblen who sent in a vintage shot of an old day of racing at Ridgetown Ont. a small community located in Southern Ontario a bit south east of Chatham in Kent County . For many years racing was held at the Ridgetown track ,most often twice a year . In the 1940's and 1950's, a segment of the annual Supertest Colt Stakes were held there and attracted huge crowds who came to watch the top young horses compete for a piece of a large purse and a chance to take home a silver trophy . This photo was taken by a photographer from the Molson's Brewery and turned into a postcard .
THE O'BRIENS TURN SILVER
February 8, 2014
Above photo shows the famous horseman JOE O'BRIEN in an early year pose back in his native Prince Edward Island .(Hoof Beats)
Readers comments appear at the bottom of this story :
Canadian Harness Racing's most anticipated awards event of the year "The O'Briens" is upon us .This evening, Saturday the 8 th of February, will see the finest the sport has to offer, all assembled in their "Sunday best" .For the first time ever, the awards show will be held outside of Ontario . How fitting on this the 25th anniversary of the sport's premiere event, that the gathering will be held in one of Canada's oldest and most revered racing centres, Charlottetown Prince Edward Island .Also appropriate is the fact that Mr. Joseph O'Brien the man for whom the awards are named, started his fabled career in this area, just a few miles from his place of birth .
P.E.I . so often referred to as " The Kentucky of the North" has been the site of harness racing dating back to Confederation .It is still thriving in a most meaningful way .While the purses are not as large as in most other racing jurisdictions ,the enthusiasm of everyone involved is reminiscent of days gone by .
Following dinner, speeches,awards,accolades,dancing and reminiscing will punctuate the evening .A precious few in the audience will carry home a treasured "O'Brien" trophy .While their monetary estimate is stated as $1500 ,like most coveted awards in sports or otherwise, their value is without description or equal .
Almost lost in the process is the memory of the man for whom the awards are named ;Joseph O'Brien .He passed away close to 30 years ago on September 29th,1984 at the age of 67 after a lengthy battle with cancer .Sociologists (or whatever they are called these days) tell us that a span of 25 years separates one generation from another . Assuming that is true or at least close to factual, then more than a generation of racing fans and horse practitioners recall this memorable man only from pictures,folklore and the sport's archives .It is quite possible one or more of this year's recipients were not yet born when Mr. O'Brien was still with us .I remember him well, but seeing his unmistakable "figure" out on the track is as close as I ever got .A man I once worked with told me stories of playing "hookie" from school and stealing away to watch him race at the many small town P.E.I. tracks near his home .That was during the 1930's ....
The Early Years ....
Joseph Cyril O'Brien entered the world on Monday June 25th 1917, the youngest of 5 sons and two daughters born to Harry and Jennie (Foley) O'Brien . Farming and racing harness horses was a part of the O'Brien family way dating back as long as they had inhabited Prince Edward Island .It was an obvious throwback to their roots in County Kilkenny Ireland .Four of the five O'Brien sons pursued a career in the sport .In addition to Joe ,Claude,Raymond and Lloyd followed the horses . Only William the eldest remained on the sidelines .Sisters Doris and Agnes loved racing but only as fans of the family horses ."Harry" (whose actual name was Michael Joseph ) ,the family's modern day patriarch was a pretty interesting man .He was a self taught veterinarian , a fox farmer and a builder of racetracks to name just a few of his many talents .
At the age of 3, "Little Joe" began his lengthy career amid the horses as he began to ride the tamer ones around the farm .By the age of 7, he began jogging along side his father and brothers .At 13 he won his first race with a horse named after a then famous hockey player Ace Bailey , a $40 purchase by his father. While most children his age followed other interests, the young O'Brien thought only of a career with horses .
Answering The Call .....
In 1936 , William Latta a horseman from a little place called River Hebert in Cumberland County Nova Scotia wrote to Harry O'Brien to inquire if any of his sons might have an interest in becoming his trainer and driver for the coming year .According to legend,the senior O'Brien soon set about writing to Mr. Latta to notify him that none of his sons were even remotely interested in the offer of a job . Unbeknown to him, young Joe who at the time was just 18, came upon the letter and took it upon himself to send a reply ;and his note was short but in the affirmative .
After much persuasive talking and resultant advice from his father to stay home ,Joe decided to take the job . Unwilling to admit that he had absolutely no money (some accounts say he had $6 in his pocket) when confronted by his father, Joe simply stated " Got all the money I need ..." .In reality what happened was a small "loan" from his brother Claude, 10 years his senior, and OFF he went .
A trip of 250 miles by ferryboat and train ensued and his eventual arrival at the tiny hamlet of River Hebert, a place where French was the native tongue .With no one there to greet him, a walk of 3 miles through a wet and muddy countryside finally ended at the Latta farm and stables . Upon arrival, he found Mr. Latta ill in bed and in a generally foul mood . At the top of his "list" of complaints was that he had no idea he was hiring someone so young and secondly so small in stature. Bear in mind that at the peak of his adulthood, Joe O'Brien was a mere 5 foot 6 inches and weighed but 135 pounds ,a size he had yet to attain .
Once the preliminary grumbling had passed, Mr Latta was resigned to the facts and told the young gentleman he might as well set about the task at hand . The stable consisted of 5 horses ,all full brothers and sisters, and only one broken to harness . After nearly being trampled by the first horse he took out of the stall ,the young lad took matters into his own hands and soon had all of the horses into a training routine .By the time the Maritime summer racing season had opened, the O'Brien - Latta combination had started to click . At season's end, O'Brien followed the sale of a couple of Latta Stable members and joined another outfit racing in the region .
From here began one of the greatest "trips" ever taken by a harness horseman . After several years of racing on home turf and and an extremely humble beginning, Joe O'Brien made has way across the border and tried his hand on a bigger circuit .In 1947 he was the leading driver at Foxboro Mass. . Soon his talents were noticed on a larger scale and an invitation to become the second trainer for famed horseman Sep Palin came his way .At this time that was the path to follow for success. In 1948 he made the cross Continental journey to California to Palin's winter quarters .While this was not an immediately successful move, it soon paved the way to several decades at the absolute "Top" of the sport .
In 1952 a wealthy California man named Sol Camp took a liking to O'Brien and began supplying him with an abundant group of very well bred horses .From the likes of Diamond Hal,Scott Frost, came a highly successful operation . When Mr. Camp died just a few years later his widow and son carried on and more successes followed . From here came many more patrons and around 1963 the famed up and coming Armstrong Bros. "Armbro" connections joined forces with O'Brien .The names of Armbro Flight,Governor Armbro,Horton Hanover emerged from this time period .His list of records set,money earned,famous races won and horses driven has been captured in a couple of books of note .One of the pictures shown elsewhere in this piece list many of the great horses that were handled by Joe O'Brien .
The Long Journey
Unlike the most successful drivers of today,in Joe O'Brien's era to make it, you broke and trained a lot of horses . At the peak of his "glory years", he operated a 90 acre farm at Shafter California and on it stood stabling for 100 horses . Most often the stalls were full .In most cases he had personally selected each horse based on his vast knowledge and his advice was often sought even by other owners .Additionally each year at Lexington when time trials were held ,O'Brien literally jumped from one mount to the next as his uncanny talents for rating a horse made him the busiest man at the Red Mile .
A great deal of Mr. O'Brien's career preceded the era of huge purses and year round racing .For example available statistics show that in 1946, right after WW II he earned a total of $ 8,682 that season while recording 83 wins .Twenty years later in 1966 he chalked up 165 wins and his stable took home $ 730,445 .His career wins are recorded as 4,285 which at the time of his passing placed him 6th all time . Needless to say the comparison of statistics across eras is a difficult measure and quickly pass out of relevance .
From the small dusty tracks of Prince Edward Island and other Maritime locales emerged not only a great horseman but an equally fine and upstanding man .From a time when a few dollars was considered a successful day's work to the pomp and frills of winning races like The Little Brown Jug and The Hambletonian came Joseph O'Brien,the ultimate professional. The decision to name Canada's Top Awards in harness racing after him was a fitting choice and one that will surely stand the test of time .It is based on his overall superb combination of talent,endurance and lifetime dedication to his chosen profession .
The Joe O'Brien Museum
Harness racing history buffs or for that matter anyone travelling to Prince Edward Island is invited and encouraged to visit the quaint Museum that houses much of the memorabilia that commemorates this great horseman's career .It is located in his hometown of Alberton P.E.I. and is open from May 1 until the end of October each year . Joe's nephew Jack O'Brien ,Lloyd's son and his wife Beatrice are the hosts .
I would like to thank Jack for the gift of the book entitled "The Horseman From Alberton" authored by Marie Hill as it has served as a great source of information and inspiration in compiling this story .A number of the extended O'Brien family members remain and are active in keeping his memory alive .I have been fortunate also to be in touch with Marie Hill ,undoubtedly Canada's most famous author of harness racing history . Despite admitting to being " up there " in age, she still loves to read about and follow the sport she has embraced for her entire lifetime .In a wonderful reminiscence written after Mr. O'Brien's passing she wrote of him in glowing terms, not based on what she had heard or read but from a lifetime of friendship .A few excerpts ......
"It is extremely hard for me to realize that my friend is gone .This article is the most difficult I have ever written . I witnessed his rise to fame ,an obscure farm boy from Alberton , P.E.I. to a world wide celebrity .Regardless of the accolades that came his way he never once forgot his roots ,his friends and his fans who came out to see him drive some of the best horses ever seen on a harness track .It was always the Maritimes he loved to remember and the memories associated with it. Very few of us get to call our heroes friend ,but I was so blessed ...."
Thanks Marie .
The O'Brien Awards Are Born
The now famous O'Brien awards were formulated in 1989 and first presented on the evening of January 20th,.1990 .Perhaps fittingly the very first recipient was Ilene O'Brien, the widow of Joe O'Brien ,and the presentation was handled by Stan Bergstein Harness Tracks of America President and longtime friend of both Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien .A photo from that inaugural event is shown above .
Each year since that evening ,the annual O'Brien awards have been handed out at this time of year . This year will be an unforgettable evening for sure .
Your comments are always welcomed at oldrecollections@gmail.com
READERS COMMENTS :
Your piece on the O'Briens and Joe O'Brien was such a fine and fitting tribute on the occasion of the 25th renewal of the annual awards in his home province .
Joe had many fine attributes and above all he was a humanitarian.
When I worked for Floyd Milton, one his grooms, and a friend of mine,was a fellow by the name of Percy Lindsay. Percy, a cousin of Ted Lindsay of the famous Howe, Abel and Lindsay line of the Detroit Red Wings, was born with polio. One leg was a little shorter than the other and he walked with a limp, but he was a good and loyal man and one of the best grooms you could find anywhere.
When Joe O'Brien moved his stable to California he offered Percy a job and Percy spent his remaining years in the warmer climes of California. When Percy passed away, Joe looked after all of the arrangements and payment for Percy's funeral.
Percy was not buried in a Potters Field.
From Bill Galvin
Editor's note : Thanks Bill ,your note emphasizes the value of remembering the good deeds that people do and we should always strive to keep these memories alive . "An act of kindness is rewarded many times ..."
Hi Robert :
My wife and I attended the 2013 O'Brien awards held at the Delta Convention Centre on Saturday February 8,2014 .It was a huge success with a reported 500 people in attendance .An excellent dinner was followed by Awards presentations made to 19 contestants from all over Canada .Your informative and well-written article was very timely .Thank you and best regards .
From Jack and Bea O'Brien
[Note : Jack is a nephew of Jos. O"Brien and curator of the O'Brien Museum]
Robert , a fine story on Joe O'Brien .I hope the young drivers who are enjoying a pretty good life style read it ,so they understand and respect the pioneers who paved the highway to success .
From Ron Francis
Charles Lawrence wrote to say :
A real fine article Robert on the great Joe O'Brien . Years ago a friend of mine visited the Del Mar Farm (California) ;one of O'Brien's owners told him that Joe was a highly intelligent man and horses aside, he could have run General Motors .
We enjoy your work immensely
Regards Chuck
editor's note : Thank you Chuck !! Very nice of you to take the time to write ...
Great job Robert .Very timely for tonight .Hope all is well ,Take care
From Marv Chantler
A partial list of the great horses handled by Joe O'Brien surround his portrait
Joe O'Brien (left) accepts his Hall Of Fame book from C.T.A. President Allan Dickenson at the time of his induction in 1976 .
Herve Hits 400
February 1, 2014
Herve Filion
Today I have chosen to take a look back at what was a very special day of racing at the beloved old Greenwood track back in 1968 . It was a special day for a number of reasons ,and was also just coincidentally the last day of racing for the year as the New Year beckoned. It was Saturday December 21, 1968 and there would be no racing again at Greenwood until New Year's day .
A rather large crowd of 7,299 were on hand at Greenwood that day to see a new Canadian record set for most victories by a driver in a single season .They pushed $ 505,117 through the mutuels that day . Herve Filion a young 28 year old driver from Angers Quebec, was in for the day as he continued his quest to establish a new high for wins in a single season . Having already eclipsed the old mark of 384 ,the tireless Filion was eager to add to his current total of 398 .
His appearance at the downtown Toronto track was unusual for him in two ways . First of all he was not a regular driver there but certainly was no stranger to local fans . Secondly he was coming in about as cold as the weather, as he had not won a race in five days .Later in the afternoon he said " I've never gone so long without a win this year .." That was about to change .
For a time though it seemed as though Filion's recent absence from the winner's circle was destined to continue . He opened the card with a second place finish behind Pocket Rocket C. and then finished last in the third with Apogee . After sitting out the fifth he came close with Sweet Knight ,finishing second to Adieu Richelieu driven by Ross Curran .
In the sixth race, the featured $ 4,000 Invitational Pace, Herve's luck took a turn for the better as he won that one behind Jerry Gauman .He was right back in the seventh winning with Narciss giving him an even 400 wins for the year . Still in pursuit of a new high, he hit the charmed circle again in the eighth behind Blossom Time in the afternoon's fastest race in 2:09 2/5 . That made it 401 as he closed out the day with another second place finish in the day's final race behind Thunder Royal .The three big wins made for a pretty "sweet" day .
Following his milestone 400th win with Narciss who was owned by Clure Archdekin from Brampton, a special trackside presentation was made following the 7th race . Filion was the recipient of a beautiful stopwatch presented by Ed Bradley the OJC Racing manager . He also received a set of harness from Sam Freedman, a well known Toronto harness maker .To a person, everyone in the huge crowd was jubilant as they cheered for Filion .
The affable French Canadian horseman was excited beyond description at the end of the day . He said " This is the greatest moment in my life .."Wherever Herve travelled, he brought excitement with him .His boundless energy played itself out not only in his driving style but also in the way he handled the press and greeted the fans .
Curran Wins Driving Crown
Almost lost in the excitement of the afternoon was another 3 race winning effort by a young 31 year old teamster named Ross "Cowboy" Curran . His trio of victories came in the form of a "natural hat trick" starting in the third race .He first scored with Noral Gale ,he was back in the fourth with Adieu Richelieu and then took the fifth with Little Joe Jam . This fine driving display gave Curran his first ever Golden Horseshoe driving title .
The 1968 season was indicative of the new era of Canadian harness racing and many of the statistics told the tale . A sport which was mainly a warmer weather activity until recent times spanned a whopping 268 dates this season . There were 372 drivers competing on the Jockey Club circuit ,all chasing a portion of the $ 3,732,057 purse money offered . A total of 1,570,621 fans attended the racing and bet over $ 88,000,000 .Another interesting figure showed that $ 498,730 was spent acquiring horses via the claiming route , a far cry from years past .
Readers comments are always welcomed at oldrecollections@gmail.com
Readers Comments : Herve Hits 400
Hi Robert Great story on Filion. Here is one on Ron Waples when he was going for 400 wins. He phoned the farm where I was having a little mare trained and asked my trainer if he could drive the mare at Barrie. It was a trainer and driver by the name of Russ Gudman who worked for Allan Walker. I told him it was up him if he wanted Ronny to drive. In his accent he said Ron was one of the best drivers in the world why not. He won by six lengths.
From Paul Warwick
Legendary horseman Keith Waples left, congratulates fellow driver Herve Filion just 28 at the time, following a record setting day at Greenwood which saw him reach a special milestone winning his 400th race of the season [CP Wirephoto]
Glen Tiffin Passes
February 5, 2014
I recently learned of the passing of veteran horseman Glen Tiffin of Dresden Ont. on Sunday February 2,2013 . He was in his 85th year .Glen was a lifelong devotee of harness racing and was involved in virtually every aspect of the sport dating back to the 1950's . In his early years he drove and trained horses that raced at the then popular small town race meets and fall fairs in southern Ontario. As racing expanded its popularity with the advent of night racing in Ontario ,he frequently raced at the local Dresden Raceway as well as London,Windsor and other area tracks .In addition to racing, he also ran a mixed farming operation .
Last June, Recollections carried a story entitled " A Visit With Glen Tiffin" which detailed his lengthy career in the sulky sport . It remains on this site ,located in the "May - August " 2013 Archives .
I wish to extend my condolences to the Tiffin family which includes daughter Lori a long time SC Field Rep. and her husband Scott (WEG Racing Sec.)and their children Mark and Tamara and also Glen's son Johnny . Last year the Tiffin family generously donated a nice old collection of newspaper clippings and other interesting material which has aided me in the production of many stories .
Farewell to Glen ......
