More than 60 people turned out to celebrate the 160th birthday of Hambletonian, the prolific foundation sire of all modern-day standardbreds

, at a party held in his honour at the Cranbury museum in Cranbury, New Jersey. The titular race created as his legacy is now one of the richest and oldest in the sport of harness racing. The 2009 edition of the Hambletonian is worth $1.7 million and will be raced on Saturday, August 8 at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Cranbury museum is hosting an extensive exhibit of Hambletonian race memorabilia and the birthday celebration drew an array of admirers, including visitors from Sweden, past Hambletonian winners, and some locals bearing a real treasure - home movies of a car trip to the 1950 Hambletonian, raced at Goshen’s kite-shaped track and won by Del Miller and Lusty Song.

Handing out cake was Ben Webster, winner of the 1984 Hambletonian with Historic Freight; Mark Mullen, co-owner of 1987 Hambletonian champion Mack Lobell; and Jimmy Takter, who trained 1997 Hambletonian winner Malabar Man and Hambo elim winner Pampered Princess as well as a trio of Oaks winning fillies – Passionate Glide, Southwind Allaire and Gleam.

Mascot Hambo Tony and Joe Magno and his standardbred Master [representing Bill Rysdyck and Hambletonian] also attended.

The memorabilia exhibit will be on display at the Cranbury Museum through Sunday, June 7.

(Hambletonian Society)