Race Rewind: Niatross Breaks 1:50
On October 1, 1980, the harness racing world focused on The Red Mile where pacing phenom Niatross would attempt to become the fastest pacer of all-time.
While some wonder whether he’ll be able to beat his world mark of 1:52.4, or Steady Star’s time trial record of 1:52, others ponder the unthinkable –- a 1:50 mile.
After posting fractions of :27.3, :54.3 and 1:21.4 for the first three-quarters of the mile, the crowd roars.
"When the timer flashed 1:21.4 for the three-quarter time, the crowd roared so loudly that I didn’t hear the rest of Carl Becker’s call," wrote Dean Hoffman in an article for Trot. "All I heard was the crowd. Even when I listened to the tape later, all I could hear is cheering and shouts of encouragement. And I was cheering as loud as anyone."
"When the timer flashed 1:49.1, the noise level reached new decibels," continued Hoffman. "I’d never seen so much pandemonium at a track. People leapt into the air. People clapped. Strangers hugged each other. Everyone was beaming in disbelief."
The time trial was ranked #4 in Trot's 40 Greatest Moments of the Last 40 Years, higher than any other non-betting contest.
I WAS THERE THAT DAY! and it
I WAS THERE THAT DAY! and it was absolutely the most exciting event I have ever seen! I am from New Zealand and was on a 1 year work visa, and as it turned out I was grooming a wonderful horse called Striking Force who was also time trialing. I had not had much to do with standardbreds, but as the saying goes no good horse is a bad colour or breed, and I just love looking after good horses. That time caring and grooming the super horses for John Hayes (Senior and Junior) was the best time in my life, even in the freezing cold winters in Ontario.
I will never forget that day. Thank you to the Hayes' for giving me the opportunity to be in Kentucky with Sticking Force, and to experience the Niatross TT
I was there that day and I
I was there that day and I remember Earl Lennox out on the track with a tape measure measuring the length of Niatross's stride as he finished the mile! They announced the measurement but I can't remember the exact number. The crowd on the racetrack was bigger than you'll see in the grandstands nowadays! I was almost as impressed with Doug Arthur's time trial the same afternoon with Justin Passing in 1.53 2/5 as a 3 year old, free legged!
I remember seeing him in an
I remember seeing him in an invitational on a Saturday afternoon in Greenwood. I watched him jog and go his warmup mile and I did not see anything special. As they came up behind the starting gate he was the last one to get in position. I noticed his ears were straight back(as in the picture in this article), and Clint Galbraith literally had the brakes on. Mr. Galbraith seemed to have him in second gear for the complete race and he won well in hand, he was scary!!
Just got a call from Jack
Just got a call from Jack McNiven, who says: "I was there and experienced the most amazing feeling in harness racing then, and it felt just as amazing seeing it again 35 years later. There were tears on my face that day, and they're back again today."
Yes and one comparison I
Yes and one comparison I wanted to make was that at his time he was 5-7 seconds faster then the best horses of that time. I still have the program from the day he raced at Greenwood. He was going 1:52 at a time when the best were going 1:57-8. By today's standards if the best were going 1:48 he'd be going 1:42-1:43.
Unlike horses today who can go too fast to the half and get roughed up and lose the great Niatross would burn through the first half and then dare anyone to try and come home with him. Simply put, they couldn't. That's what made him so great. He set his own pace. He didn't rely on other great horses to get beaten up in fast fractions and then beat tiring horses. He was the one who set the fractions and simply get going. He didn't tire when all the others did.
Scary good.
One of the things I remember
One of the things I remember from the original article as well that didn't make it, was that Hoffman saw him go off the track and the look in Niatross' eye was "And I could do it again if I had too!". Still get teared up and the goosebumps reading and watching it again.....
Without any doubt whatsoever
Without any doubt whatsoever and with all do respect for Somebeachsomewhere, Wiggle It Jiggleit or any other horse of any breed Niatross remains the best horse to race period. There will not be another Niatross. He was doing 30 years ago what many are barely doing today. I hate to think how good he would've been on today's quicker surfaces and with today's more modern equipment. This monster of a racehorse broke track and world records everywhere he went even when racing heats. He beat older horses as a 3 year old. Never actually needed a photo finish camera to confirm his victories and highest odds on him ever were 2-1 very early in his career in fact I think it was during his first ever race.
He was at least 5-7 seconds faster then the fastest horses of his time and those horses were usually the older free for allers of the time. No horse ever actually beat Niatross in a clean race. He usually beat himself. Once falling over a rail and once breaking stride in an elimination of the Meadowlands Pace where he still came back from last to grab the final qualifying spot. He then crushed his competition in the final as if to make a statement and leave no doubt as to who was the best. It's unfortunate that he was never allowed to race as a 4 year old. He would've most likely accomplished some amazing things but the business side took over and to some agree that is understandable as he was just to valuable to risk injuring.
I am grateful to have had the pleasure of watching the greatest racehorse of any breed ever (sorry Secretariat but even you got beat on the track)race live at Greenwood and that moment surely stands out for me as a fan of this sport. Niatross showed the world how exciting harness racing can be at a time when racing seemed to have a lot more integrity then it has today. I don't believe that even a horse on super steroids could beat this machine.
Greatest ever. Period.