I guess I am a bit lucky to have already received an early present since Christmas is still about a month away

. My special present probably wouldn't interest too many people but for me it couldn't have been more appropriate. It wasn't wrapped and there was no attempt to either remove or even disguise the price tag which might offend some people, but not me. Remember the old adage about it isn't how much a present costs but rather the thought behind it that counts.

Without any further delay or "beating around the bush", I am delighted to have recently received an old program from Greenwood Raceway dated Saturday July 13, 1968. I have pored over its contents from cover to cover much like a crime lab might treat a piece of evidence. I have found a lot of interesting facts, figures and "faces" from the past and will try to share them in a meaningful and orderly way.

Race Winners that evening:

Race 1 - Cond. Trot, Purse $1,200
won by Major Flemington (Wes Coke) Owner - Mrs. J.L. Whitty, Mississauga, Ont.
Haul Away 2, Virgnes Gypsy 3.

Race 2 - Cond. Pace, Purse $1,600
won by Lucky Lomite (Gene MacDonald) Owner - Morris MacDonald, Strathroy, Ont.
Armbro Egan 2, Scion Grattan 3.

Race 3 - Claiming Pace ($1,500) Purse $800
won by Toms Trailer (Wm. Wellwood) Owner - Hoult & Ferguson, Toronto, Ont.
Sparky Eden 2, Tammy Chief 3.

Race 4 - Claiming Pace ($3,500) Purse $1,200
won by E J Direct (Ron Feagan) Owner - Irmgard & Hubert Riedel, Preston, Ont.
Mae Mir 2, Ambrose Abbe 3.

Race 5 - Cond. Pace Purse $1,600
won by Opeongo (Dr. John Findley) Owner - Consolidated Stables, Arnprior, Ont.
Glow Frost 2, Armbro Halo 3.

Race 6 - Invitation Pace Purse $4,000
won By Blaze Pick (Ron Waples) Owner - Jean & Russell Miller, Dutton, Ont.
Replica Herbert 2, Gerry Mir 3.

Race 7 - Three Year Old Futurity Pace Purse $7,907.50
won by Golfer Mir (Marcel Dostie) Owner - Miron Stable, St. Augustin, Que.
Deo Herbert 2, Tanya Herbert 3.

Race 8 - The Greenwood Stakes 3 Y.O. Trot Purse $18,800
won by Camper (Wm. Habkirk) Owner - J. Harris, Aylmer & H. Swartzentruber, Kitchener
Kerry Pride 2, Fashion Hill 3.

Race 9 - Cond. Pace Purse $1,200
won by Meadow Bender (Ron Waples) Owner - Parker Locke, Morrisburg, Ont.
Armbro Intrigant 2, Armbro Hero 3.

Other competing drivers not listed above:

Ed Arthur, Doug Arthur, Del Cameron, Don Corbett, Ross Curran, Brent Davies, Lloyd Davis, Barry Galbraith, Roy Given, Jack Gordon, John Hayes Jr., Paul Hebert, Jack Herbert, Jas. Holmes, Jack Kopas, Jas. McIntyre, Harold McKinley, Delvin Miller, Orwell Morrissey, Paul Radley, Albert Rogers, Roy Speller, Wallace Stead, Allan Waddell, Larry Walker, Brian Webster, Harold Wellwood Sr., Eddie Wheeler, Alix Winger.

Leading Drivers at recently concluded Garden City Meeting (Based on U.D.R.S in order of standing)
Barry Galbraith, Keith Waples, Harold McKinley, Wes Coke, John Findley, Ed Arthur, Allan Waddell, Larry Walker, Russ Furness, Carman Hie.

Rule Infractions:

Rule 18 Sec. 1 K -To cause any horse or horses to slow down its speed: (5 day driving suspension)

Ron Waples
Ken Carmichael
Retta Herrington
Marcel L'Heureux
Vern Goodale
Ken Galbraith

A fan question forum on the back cover contained the following question and answer supplied by writer Bob Ahearn of The Toronto Star .

Q - Why do drivers carry a stopwatch during a race? This has always interested me.

From: M. Coady, Toronto

Answer - Majority of harness drivers do carry stopwatches. Some teamsters like Ron Feagan very seldom do as their watch is in their head. Harness horses are "rated", that is a driver knows just how fast his pacer or trotter should go each quarter mile to enable him to turn in his best effort. The driver tries to "rate" his horse to have enough stamina left to withstand a stretch challenge to his lead or to overtake the horse in front with a burst of reserve speed.

A couple of interesting Notes at the back of the program reads as follows :

Ladies in shorts or slacks are not permitted in the Clubhouse.

Gentlemen are requested to wear jackets with ties or turtle necks in the dining room. Jackets are required in the Clubhouse.

CANCELLATION POLICY : Kindly note that five races may constitute a complete program. If, for any reason, five races are not run, an admission ticket good for any subsequent program will be given at the exits. (Yes, people used to actually pay for admission)

Thanks to my friend Jim Ellis of Shadywood Farm for the gift of this now vintage program.