This week's edition of Rewind takes readers back to 1979 and to a memorable event at a small town track in rural New Brunswick. It was a great evening of racing and is undoubtedly well remembered by many in the area. 

Down through the years memorial races held to honour past participants of our sport have been a regular occurrence.  Some continue on for years while others eventually disappear as memories fade. Today's story concerns the 1979 edition of the Earle Avery Memorial which was held for several years following this great horseman's passing on November 6, 1977.  He had reached the age of 83. 

This year marked the second such race and it was held at Mr. Avery's home track Connell Park in the rather small town of Woodstock, NB.  This quaint spot nestled in the upper reaches of the Saint John River  had hosted racing on many occasions throughout the years  but it was not accustomed to drawing such a large crowd as on this day nor hosting  such well known personalities.  There were just seven days of racing scheduled for the entire year of 1979. This one stood out for a number of reasons. 

The big race was a $5,000 event honouring one of the town's native sons,  a man who had started here and gone on to become one of the all time greats in the sport.  For many years Mr. Avery worked for the Clearview Stables of Winthrop, Maine and guided many world class horses during his lengthy career.  That powerful outfit was owned by Norman Woolworth, a tremendously wealthy and influential man who was of course associated with the Woolworth family owners of the huge chain of stores bearing that name.  The Woolworth - Avery combo will be forever remembered for their success with the great Meadow Skipper along with many others. 

To honour Mr. Avery's memory a number of very prominent connections made the decision to compete in that year's event.  Mr. Woolworth was all in from the start and also his current trainer and driver Stanley Dancer decided to drive one of the stable's top performers.  Added to that was another very accomplished reinsman who had started his career in this area.  Buddy Regan, a native of New Brunswick and a top trainer at Yonkers and Roosevelt at the time,  decided to drive his own Call To Arms.  Originally Carmine Abbatiello was slated to drive the Regan horse but at the last moment an illness in his family prevented him from attending. 

The appearances of these U.S. pacers, owners and drivers brought out a huge crowd in excess of 4,000 fans.  Both Regan and Dancer drove in other races much to the delight of the paying customers.  Race organizers carded the Avery Memorial as the last race on the nine-race card, making it the big attraction of the night.  They expected the audience to stay and they certainly did.  

For starters having Stanley Dancer on the premises was a "biggie."  Imagine one of the world's all time greats, who had by then already scored more than 3,300 lifetime wins, putting this on his schedule.  He was driving the Woolworth-owned Plat Du Jour who had won at the Meadowlands in 1:58.2 just a short time prior to this night.  Regan, the local boy and a native New Brunswicker, was driving a horse that sported a four-race win streak at Roosevelt and had paced in 2:00.3 on two recent occasions.  The race certainly shaped up to be a good one. 

Perhaps overlooked was another slightly lower profile horse by the name of Power Baron.  He was a locally-connected horse as well,  owned and driven by Mike Doyle of Rothesay, N.B. In the past he had raced all over the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and a number of major Canadian tracks, always showing well in his performances. This season he had stayed close to home and was having a highly successful year and already co-held the fastest mile (2:01.1) in the Maritimes.  

Sunny weather all week gave hope that Saturday night's races would be held under ideal track conditions.  That did happen, at least almost.  Just as the horses approached the start of the Avery race the skies opened up at Connell Park Raceway.  The heavy rain probably prevented Maritime harness racing's first sub-2:00 mile that night but that was about all it stopped.  

Power Baron and owner driver and trainer Mike Doyle winners of  the 1979 edition of the Avery Memorial at Woodstock, N.B. track. (Photo courtesy of Brent Briggs) 

The sudden burst of rain coming down in sheets did not change Dancer's plan as he left smartly and hit the quarter in :28.4 and the half in :58.4.  Doyle was sitting in the "garden spot" all the while and by the three-quarter mark he made his move and overtook the tiring Dancer horse.  He breezed home in the rain and mud winning by four lengths.  In a bit of a surprise Power Baron and Mike Doyle equaled Bound To Be's track record of 2:00.4 defeating Stanley Dancer's Plat Du Jour. Taconic Lobell was third followed by Good Delight, Ventall Rainbow and Call To Arms.

It turned out to be a heck of a race despite the rain and the fans who wagered a track record $48,610 went home happy.  For Power Baron and Mike Doyle,  they proved that the eight-year-old son of Baron Hanover still had It! 

In the winner's circle after winning the 1979 Earle Avery Memorial are Power Baron, driver Mike Doyle and his wife, Delores, Bruce Munroe, holding the horse, and Brian Hancox. To the left of Doyle is the trophy presenter Earle Avery's granddaughter and unfortunately I do not have her name.  (Photo courtesy of Brent Briggs) 

Quote For The Week: "Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom." - From Terry Pratchett, English humorist. 

Who Is It? 

Can you name this fellow who was a top U.S. driver for decades?

Who Else Is It?

Can you identify this great horseman along with his wife? This picture was taken in 1953 at what was then known as Azalea Park, a winter training spot in Casselberry, Florida. Clue: In later years he landed a pretty good job training and driving some very nice horses (Harness Horse photo) 

Blast From The Past 

P.S. - Fryeburg is a Town located in Maine