SC Rewind: A Make Believe Story

In the latest edition of 'Rewind' Robert Smith recalls a rather amazing year by an aged trotting mare that saw her go to the post no less than 106 times during  one single season.   While her name sounds otherwise,  she was truly "for real."  Read on to learn of just how many times a Standardbred may have raced in a season back in the "old days." 

The debate about how many starts a horse should make in a season is likely to draw a wide range of answers and opinions with wide variations in numbers.  What is the age of the horse,  their temperament,  soundness,  racing schedule, future considerations,  etc., etc., and the list could go on forever without any consensus.  

Whatever the final number might be I would guess that it would likely be 30 or less starts given the conditions of today's racing.  In days gone by when heat racing was still in effect that number was much higher but seldom if ever reached the total achieved in 1949 by today's subject. 

Back in 1949 the then six-year-old trotting mare named Make Believe by Lee Harvester out of the U.S. bred mare Honey Locust compiled quite a season based on the number of times she faced the starter.  I can't truthfully use the term "went behind the starting gate" because there were occasions when she started without the gate,  a throwback to an earlier era.  Make Believe was owned at this time by Clarence Lockhart of Collingwood, Ontario who also operated an automobile dealership in that town.  He  was also her trainer and driver.  "Shorty" as he was often called was certainly a familiar figure in the sport for many years. I do believe he still has family involved. 

Make Believe and Clarence Lockhart at his Collingwood area  farm during the 1949 season 

That 1949 season Make Believe started in no less than 106 heats as mentioned earlier and visited 25 different tracks,  a few of them on more than one occasion.  She won 55 heats, many against Free For All pacers.  Her season's earnings amounted to $4,328.38 ($54,000),  raising her lifetime bank account to $11,233 ($140,600).   The bracketed numbers show the approximate equivalent in today's dollars adjusted for inflation.  Her season record for a mile stood at 2:09 and also her lifetime best taken at the Arthur track. 

Also somewhat amazing about her "busy" season was the fact that she was a starter in both of the Province's top rated races for trotters as well as pacers in 1949.  In August she was a starter in that year's Canadian Pacing Derby which necessitated a change in the name of the race to include "Trotting" as well.  Her day's work ended early at that event as she finished 11-9 and was scratched from the third heat. To my knowledge she has been the only trotter to ever compete in the Canadian Pacing Derby.  

Make Believe's performance in the Canadian Trotting Derby was much more impressive.  Held on Labour Day weekend at Grand Valley, Ont., she won two of the three heats and was second in the other in that event which carried a purse of $2,000.  The stallion Enac owned by Parker Locke of Williamsburg took second place honours that day.  The Trotting Derby, which did not have a very long history, was said to have been attended by 5,000 fans that day.   Rex Hughes, still remembered by many I'm sure, was the main promoter of this race.  

I chatted with Rex on a number of occasions and he often spoke of this race which had just a three-year history.  He was always sorry that it was not continued as he thought it could have become a major event for trotters back then.  At the time the 1949 event referred to here was held, the Maple Leaf Trot had not yet come into existence.  Rex claimed that one year a couple of carloads of fans drove up from Halifax one year to watch the race.  

Make Believe and driver Clarence Lockhart appear in the winner's circle following a win in the 1949 Canadian Trotting Derby held at Grand Valley, Ont. The man at the horse's head is unidentified (Photo from the Standardbred magazine) 

Apparently soon after her victory at Grand Valley calls came from all over the map asking Mr. Lockhart to race at numerous venues.  Many were the small local tracks who staged fair races and they were eager to have such "celebrities" at their race day.  One rather large offer was proposed but failed to materialize.  It was reported that a highly touted match race was in the works that would have Make Believe representing Ontario against the top trotter Projectile representing Quebec.  It was to carry a purse of $1,500, winner take all, and Clarence was to be given a $500 shipping bonus.  Apparently the Quebec horse came up lame well before the proposed date and it all fell through.  

On one occasion during that 1949 season two very popular horses of the day appeared in the same race.  The pacing sensation Amber Grattan II, who won 49 races that season for owner Tom Yearly of Exeter, and Make Believe went head to head at Teeswater.  That day the pacer prevailed in all three heats.  A few years ago a Rewind was devoted to the 1949 season of Amber Grattan II. 

The start of a race at the old Orr Lake track owned and operated by Clarence Crowe.  Make Believe at one time held the track record at this now almost forgotten location in Simcoe County.  (Photo courtesy of Huronia Museum) 

Many if not all of the places Make Believe started at during that whirlwind year are now just a memory as far as their racetrack's existence.  Places like Orr Lake, Tara, Palmerston, Arthur, Mount Forest, Coldwater, Dundalk and many more.  Another was the town of Beaverton, where a slight mishap occurred depriving Make Believe of yet another start and undoubtedly win #56. On that day she won the first two heats of the Free For All and in the third incurred a recall.  In those days a bell was rung to signal a recall but Clarence did not hear it and continued the race.  The judges ordered a restart and Mr. Lockhart refused. 

Why the name? The mare's dam Honey Locust was foaled at the famous Almahurst Farm in Kentucky.  She eventually came to Ontario to become a member of the popular Manchester Farm located at what was then Galt, Ont. When that farm's owner Mr. F.S. Scott died in 1943 she was sold at a dispersal auction to a gentleman named Leonce April from Montreal and then sold in a private deal to Stratford, Ont. hotel owner David Pinkney.  When she delivered her foal it was named by Mr. Pinkney  for the Show Boat hit song Make Believe.  

Hall Of Fame Memberships 

In 1987 Make Believe was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.  Her lifetime statistics such as money earnings and speed records were far below most other entrants show on their resumes.   However her overall performance and endurance put her in a special category.  She also had quite a respectable record as a broodmare following her racing days. 

 

The following is an excerpt from the Hall of Fame profile of Make Believe: 

Make Believe produced 10 foals, including Helen Brooke K., the dam of Aurlene Shooter. Daughters of Helen Brooke K foaled winners Hidden Kash, Lori Song Kash, Lasting Kash, Eva Kash and Lucretias Kash. Another daughter, Gay Connie, produced six stakes winners including Ontario Sires Stakes winners Nila Herbert, Gay Ann Herbert (the dam of No Sex Please), Gayety Herbert, Mia Herbert and Connie Herbert. Daughters of Gay Connie also produced I Can Trot, Delvin Herbert, Vera Herbert and Cold Valentine.

If you examine the pedigree of Hall of Famer and world champion No Sex Please ($1.8 million), you will see that his great-granddam is Make Believe.

Clarence Lockhart 

Clarence Lockhart pictured with one of his many stable members (Photo courtesy of Collingwood Sports Hall Of Fame) 

As the first inductee in the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame in the harness racing category, Clarence Lockhart occupies a special spot in the memories of local sports fans.  His many years of participation and accomplishments earned him this honour. The following is an excerpt from his bio in the HOF. 

"As implicated by his nickname, 'Shorty' is small of stature but his courage and determination offsets the size handicap. He needs nobody to run interference for him because the little man from the Osprey Hills has always been on his own. He just had to be No. 1 in the harness racing section of Collingwood’s Sports Hall of Fame."

Quote For The Week: "Home made is well made." 

Who Is It?

How many people can you identify in this picture? Let us know who you see in this happy crowd.  

Who Else Is It? 

Can you name this fellow who was a long time participant for a lot of years at many tracks? 

Closing Note: Does anyone else from my era remember the song "It's Only Make Believe" by Conway Twitty?