​In this week's edition of 'Rewind,' Robert Smith recalls a very special horse named Derbys Gent. This low profile performer paced his way into not only the record books of many tracks but also captured the hearts of a huge throng of followers in a rather long career on the track that started some 44 years ago. The piece also includes a number of pictures from the family scrapbook.

Members of the Cadman family and friends join driver Norm Campbell and Derbys Gent in the London winner's circle in 1974 following one of his many wins. The co-owners Wm. and James Cadman are to the right of driver Campbell.

​Back in 1974 the father-son combination of James and Wm. Cadman of Parkhill, Ont. started the season as virtual newcomers to the sport of harness racing. By season's end they and their 'wonder horse' were known across the land. While their business interests were rooted in dairy farming their sporting interests tended toward owning a Standardbred horse. Son William started out as many before him by purchasing a mare around 1967. The theory that if she did not pan out as a racehorse she could possibly become a broodmare was an obvious part of the plan.

When Claybrook Carol a daughter of Felix Hanover failed to make the grade as a raceway performer the decision was made to breed her. The result of her mating with a horse named Derby Time who stood at Galt, Ont. (Fee $500) produced a foal of 1971; a colt who was named Derbys Gent. The colt was gelded and later broke by his co-owner Will Cadman at the Parkhill Town track, a then popular spot in the area. He was trained at two but never raced and was turned out on the farm to mature.

As Derbys Gent turned three, the decision was made to have a gentleman named Norm Campbell race him. An accomplished horseman that raced mainly at small town tracks, Norm was recommended to the Cadmans by a mutual friend. Early in the 1974 season the green youngster was turned over to Campbell who lived at Thorndale. His first outing was a qualifier at London, which he easily won in 2:08.1. From here he was taken to nearby Woodstock where he won his first parimutuel start. Little did anyone know what adventure was soon in store. While he never had an official nickname, he was known simply as "Derby" to those close to him.

From this point on the horse started winning in his every start. Week after week he was starting to draw attention wherever he raced and WON! Needless to say one of his first admirers outside the Cadman family was none other than Harry Eisen the legendary harness racing scribe who wrote a column for decades in the London Free Press. He understandably became a regular topic for Harry and would remain so for the entirety of his career. To this day the Cadmans retain a rather large old fashioned scrapbook containing many of Harry's write ups; what a bank of memories.

A very young John Campbell at 20, appears in the Wolverine winner's circle with James Cadman co-owner of Derbys Gent. After spending many years farming with horses the first-time Standardbred owner got off to a pretty good start in 1974. (Abahazy Photos)

By late August this horse was causing quite a stir wherever he raced. He was setting track records at every stop and on occasion like at Hanover, returning to break that very record. After setting a new track mark of 2:02.2 at Hanover he returned the next week to race in the Ken Galbraith Memorial and again won it in an even faster 2:01.2. He took his season's record of 2:00.2 on June 30th over Kingston's 5/8 mile oval. Little wonder Harry Eisen frequently described him as "The pride and joy of Western Ontario."

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A program line from August 23, 1974 when Derby set a new track record of 2:01.2 at Goderich in a special Invitational race. This start marked 15 wins in a row without a defeat.

At the end of his three-year-old season Derby showed 21 wins in 22 starts on his card and earnings at a relatively low $27,222. He had made stops at many different tracks. His biggest money win was in the O.H.H.A. final in Barrie for a $9,000 purse. He won all 11 of these events. His lone taste of defeat came later in the season when he travelled to Northfield Park in Ohio for his only U.S. outing. Facing a field of colts prepping for that year's Jug he finished sixth, with the mile going in 1:59. Not exactly a blemish when considering the level of competition.

He closed out the season with several more victories including a win at Windsor in the Autumn Sophomore series on November 1. In this start he flirted with a 2:00 clocking but faded slightly in the final quarter, still winning handily in 2:01.2. Derby's tremendous season and dominance in this race resulted in the track's lowest mutuel payoff in its ten-year history. On that evening a $2.00 win ticket returned a paltry $2.40 along with other payouts of $2.30 and $2.10 to place and show.

With driver Norm Campbell in the bike Derbys Gent scores a victory at Windsor in the fall of 1974 to capture a leg of the Autumn Sophomore Series. The mile in 2:01.2 was impressive in that he was "a bit under the weather" according to his trainer. This race closed out his three-year-old season.

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Despite his tremendous successes, the earnings were relatively low, but the excitement and thrill for the Cadmans was beyond measure. New fans began to follow this speedy performer wherever he appeared. As one might easily expect several attempts to purchase this promising youngster were made with the most notable offer coming from Herve Filion. Needless to say he was NOT for sale then or perhaps ever.

In 1975 as a four-year-old a completely different path was charted. With his three-year-old accomplishments well established, the plan was to race wherever races were available and to see just how good this young horse could be. To better accomplish this goal Derbys Gent was placed in a new stable. John Campbell, a nearby resident and friend of the Cadmans, along with his father Jack were chosen to take over Derbys Gent. By the way the two Campbell families were not related. Young John, who turned 20 on April 8th, that year was just starting his meteoric rise in the sport. As the new season played out the decision proved to be a wise one for more reasons than one.

The new plan encountered an immediate glitch when John was injured in an automobile accident which sidelined him for a number of weeks. In his absence, "Jack" John's father took over the driving duties and did an admirable job. Included in his "emergency" stint were several victories on the tough O.J.C. circuit. This quickly proved that this horse could compete with the best. Once recovered John was in the bike and the winning show went on, starting with the season's first sub-2:00 mile achieved at Garden City while capturing the Long Branch Stake in 1:59 on May 11.

Friends and family gather in numbers to celebrate a milestone victory at Garden City as Derbys Gent wins in a lifetime best of 1:59 his first sub-2:00 score as a four-year-old in 1975. He would later better that mark. Of special note is the presence of driver John Campbell's parents Jack and Florence immediately to the right just behind the horse.

Derbys Gent's 1975 season proved to be nothing short of amazing as he competed at many of the major Raceways across the country, both Canadian and U.S. He started the season capturing several top level stakes on the O.J.C. circuit and then went to the U.S. While there he set a track record at Monticello and also made a trip to the fabled Roosevelt Raceway. Later that year he returned to Ontario where he competed in the Canadian Pacing Derby at Greenwood finishing third to Rambling Willie and Mirror Image despite going off at odds of 19-1. He also made a huge start in Windsor's Provincial Cup. While not winning but finishing fifth, he faced the absolute best horses then in competition and in this event he did defeat the immortal Rambling Willie who finished 7th. In 1975 this great horse banked $104,000 in addition to entertaining some huge crowds wherever he appeared.

One race in 1975 that really stood out for the Cadman family occurred when Derby won the Labatt's Pace at London's Western Fair, a track so close to their home. In this the track's headline event, Derbys Gent set a new track record of 2:00 even which was quite an event back then. It established the track's first two-minute score and set several other records. The track's largest ever crowd of 6,470 watched with delight and also took time out to bet almost $277,000, the largest handle in the track's history. It was a night to remember.

Derbys Gent went on to several more productive seasons for the Cadman family that saw him make appearances at some of the sport's largest venues. He raced at The Meadowlands, Roosevelt Raceway, Chicago and Wolverine on the outskirts of Detroit as well as numerous starts at Windsor. He was a durable horse and easy to be around he did have a few problems such as in 1978 when he had two splint bones removed.

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Derbys Gent cruises to his lifetime record of 1:58 at Wolverine with 20-year-old John Campbell in the bike in this 1975 photo. (Abahazy Photos)

When I asked the Cadman's Bill and his wife Ann, to sum up their feelings about owning such a special horse they offered the following:

"We were fortunate to see most of his races and yes it was a thrill. Now looking back at all the pictures and scrapbooks of clippings and I am much older I am realizing what a gem we had in this great horse. He was our first. Since then we have many, many horses. Some made it to the track and but lots didn't. None as notable as Derbys Gent. He cut such a swath through southwestern Ontario and he had such a great following. The grandstands would be filled and a mob on the track at picture taking time. We have letters of congratulations from people we didn't even know, including the Kingston newspaper thanking us for bringing him to their city. One of his biggest fans was Harry Eisen who wrote a daily column in the London Free Press called "Mostly About Horses." Derby was often his subject and he never failed to give him praise. Harry followed our horse throughout his racing career."

In 1982 a then 11-year-old veteran was retired from the racing wars. Several factors including the fact that he was becoming difficult to keep sound led to the decision. In his lengthy career the statistics he recorded were extremely impressive. His record was 1:58 with lifetime earnings of $353,721.00 from 57 wins, eight seconds and 11 thirds. Quite a career to put it mildly!

As a farewell gesture a special appearance at London's Western Fair track was held to commemorate his retirement. Owner Will Cadman drove Derbys Gent in an exhibition mile. From a rather humble beginning the old fellow had provided his owners and a multitude of followers and friends with a wealth of memories, certainly well beyond anyone's wildest expectations. A special cooler was presented to close out the proceedings. It showed his earnings but the memories were much greater.

Friends and family gather at London in October 1982 to celebrate the retirement of Derbys Gent. Co-owner Wm. Cadman in green and gold silks handled the driving chores on this evening. His father James was at the far right second from the end.

At the age of 26, Derbys Gent passed on after living out his retirement years on the family farm. In a recent chat Bill Cadman recalled, "He is buried in our pasture, the same pasture he would race across, beating all others to get to his feed."

What a horse and what a story he left us.

Who Is It?
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Can you identify all three? If you can put a name on the horse, driver and veteran caretaker you are batting 1.000. (Abahazy Photos)