SC Rewind: The Downtown Track

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Published: January 16, 2010 05:21 am EST

Robert Smith reflects on some people and happenings at the once popular Toronto track known as Greenwood

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The old New York Yankee baseball legend Billy Martin used to say "my two favourite kinds of music are country and western." Following that line of logic it is probably safe to say that a lot of people's favourite downtown Toronto tracks from the old days were Old Woodbine
and Greenwood. In 1963 the track officially changed its name from Old Woodbine to Greenwood and remained as that until its closing.

While a lot of the history of Canadian harness racing took place in small towns with their quaint half-mile tracks and cute old wooden grandstands, a lot more occurred "downtown". In 1954 Old Woodbine as it was then known, began to host harness racing. It had been a thoroughbred only operation prior to that although it did host harness racing back in the 1890's. Unlike its country cousins this track had an oddball sized 3/4 mile track and a grandstand that would likely hold the entire population of a lot of small race towns.

I have chosen to look at a few facts and faces as they appeared back in early 1969, just a little over 40 years ago. A lot has changed but many familiar names and faces remain. I have selected only a portion of the people involved as it is impossible to list everyone who was
there even though I realize that the input of every single participant was important.

Leading Drivers - This is a combined list based on wins, winning percentage and earnings in January 1969. Most of these drivers appeared in multiple categories. The leading driver was awarded the Carling Brading trophy and a cash prize of $50, with $30 for the second place finisher and $20 for third in standings.

Gilles Gendron (percentage leader)
Keith Waples (wins and money leader)
Wes Coke
Ron Feagan
Russ Furness
William Wellwood
William Carroll
Allan Waddell
Bill Lambertus
Brent Davies
Ross Curran
Harold McKinley

Other Drivers (abbreviated list)
Carman Hie, Jack Gordon, Jim Holmes, Randy Boyce, Brian Webster, George Wain, Guy and Lloyd Gilmour, Fred Hill, Gary Campbell, Roy Lawson, Bill Troy, Reg Gassien, Larry Walker, Omar Knight, George Zirnis, Ray McLean, Jerry Hughes, Jim Muttart, Ken Webb, Bruce Shea, Ron Waples, Doug Nash, John Hayes Sr.

Racing Officials:

Director - E.M. Bradley
Judges - Jules Giguere, William Lang, William Lawrence.
Race Secretary - Lewis James
Clerk of the Course - Alan Nielson
Announcer - Jack Stephens
Starter - Ernie Brown
Paddock Judge - James Halliday
Placing judges - Gary Wilmot, Charles Ayers
Publicity Director - Jim Lampman

The final harness race was contested at Greenwood on New Years Eve, December 31, 1993. Thus closed a long and storied chapter in Canadian racing that dated back to its original opening in October of 1875. Many of today's horsepeople and fans alike certainly have memories of Greenwood and may care to share them.

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