SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1950s

SC Rewind's Robert Smith takes a look back at the 1950s, reviewing events and people of years gone by, some of which are still active, related to or known by today's followers of the sport of harness racing

.

1951
One of this season's winningest horses oddly showed little promise prior to this year. Now an eight-year-old, Royal Princess 2nd paced her way to 28 wins in 1951 for owner W.C. Topping of London. With veteran reinsman Barney Hughes also of London on board, the bay miss piled up a bankroll of $4,039 after winning only $1,000 prior to this season. In addition to seeing action at a lot of Ontario tracks the pair also scored at Batavia Downs. Her season's best clocking was 2:08 4/5.

1953
Hal Grattan Patch has returned to his winter training quarters after a very successful season for owners Hie & Gordon of Cobourg, Ont. The six-year-old gelded son of Hal Grattan Jr. started a total of 59 times this season and was returned a winner in 13 of those starts to go along with 13 seconds and 20 thirds good for season's earnings of $2,098. Co-owner Jack Gordon does the driving. The speedy pacer earned a new speed badge of 2:11 1/5.

1955
A horse with the catchy name, Race Day has enjoyed a four-win season for owner M.J. "Mac" Casselman now of Pembroke. The five-year-old was secured late last season after racing in the Peterborough-based Hugh Stewart stable under the care of Hugh Stewart Jr. who did the driving. Late last fall, Race Day won his first race for the Casselman stable with Percy Robillard driving. That same combo teamed up for all four victories this season racing at Dufferin Park Toronto and in Montreal. He posted a new lifetime best of 2:08 2/5 at Richelieu Park, while winning $ 1,083.75 for the season.

1957
A large contingent of Canadian horses and drivers are currently competing at the Batavia Downs fall meeting. Undoubtedly the busiest and winningest outfit belongs to Wm. D. "Bud" Gilmour of Ridgeway, Ont. He recently had an addition to his stable with the arrival of the four-year-old Shadow Stone, property of Cecil Stone of Petrolia. The son of Alpha Hal is a homebred and aptly named as he is a roan. Since joining the Gilmour stable, he has had considerable success and has recently been sold to Stratford hotel owner Wesley Litt. He will join the stable of another top Canadian driver Harold Wellwood, trainer for the Litt stable for many years. Shadow Stone paced to a new season's best of 2:07 1/5 this summer on his way to a 10-win season.

1959
Peter Thibaudeau, a young horseman from Markdale, Ont., has a rather nice three-year-old trotter named Owen Lee sired by Zeb Lee out of Phyllis Lee. Lightly raced and a non-winner at two, the now sophomore trotter started 20 times, winning on four occasions this year. The highlight of the season was a winning heat and runner up standing at Tillsonburg in the Supertest Petroleum Stake. Pete did a lot of the driving and one win came with Allan Walker at the controls. Owen Lee trotted in 2:14 1/5 for his three-year-old record. His sire Zeb Lee is an import from the U.S. and was bred in Indiana and now stands at the farm of Reuben Ruthig of New Hamburg, Ont.