SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1960s

This week's Rewind looks back at the decade of the 1960's as Robert Smith recalls many names, happenings and recollections from that time period in his regular monthly Years Ago feature.

1960 - Wm. Wellwood Enjoys First Driving Season 

September 1960 - A young Wm. Wellwood is pictured above as he enjoyed his first full season as a driver and stable operator after driving in his first career race in late fall of 1959.  Two from his stable were Mac Dillon (left) and Glendale Joe on the right. After a very successful summer stint at Toronto's Old Woodbine where the 20-year-old won many races,  Bill was racing in Montreal at Richelieu Park. 

After starting as a groom in his Uncle Harold Wellwood's stable, he soon learned the art of training.  This season after starting on the Batavia and Buffalo circuit,  a division of the stable was sent to Toronto. Among the young sulky sitter's victories there was a win in the three-year-old trotting Futurity with the sometimes erratic Kintoo Colby, owned by Wib White of St. Marys, Ont. He also turned in one of the fastest miles of the Old Woodbine summer session when he reined Royal Aileen to victory in 2:03. 

Once the Montreal season ended Bill returned to the stable's home base in Stratford, Ont. for the winter. I can recall numerous conversations with Bill in later years and he often said he had a special place in his heart for Old Woodbine and later Greenwood mainly because of these early years.   

1962 - Batavia Downs Has Labor Day Doubleheader 

Doubleheaders, common in baseball, are not all that popular in harness racing but certainly many have been held down through the years.  When Batavia Downs decided to feature such an event it drew a bit of interest from the track's Publicity department.  The "Twinbill" as they are often referred to brought out a camera crew and some rather young participants.  See photo below.  

Batavia Downs opened in 1940 as just the second racetrack to stage night racing has long been a favourite of Canadian horse people.  The history books show that no less than five Canadian entrants won a race on opening night back in October of 1940.  A horse named Rip Harvester owned by the Morgandale Stable of Niagara Falls, Ont. with "Orangeville Bill" Harvey in the sulky won the first race ever under the lights.  

Twins Peggy (left) and Pat Driscoll of Batavia show the starting times for a Labor Day double card. They are standing in front of the pacer Silent Song and his owner Mrs. John Morse of Rochester, N.Y. 

1968 - June Jackson Honoured as Horse Of The Year at Exhibition Park 

June Jackson, owned by Lloyd McKinney (left),  driven by Mike Doyle (rear),  trained by Don Galbraith in foreground receive a trophy from a track official 

In late 1968 the lofty year end award for "Horse Of The Year" was handed out at Exhibition Park in Saint John, N.B.  Awards such as these called for a blanket presentation and undoubtedly a couple of special pictures as shown above.   June Jackson, at the time, was a four-year-old and made 52 starts for owner Lloyd McKinney of Gagetown N.B. that season.  Her trainer was Donnie Galbraith, who was a popular trainer at Exhibition Park.  

She won 11 of her season's starts and also had eight second place finishes and was third five times.  Her earnings for the rather long campaign were just a few dollars short of $3,000.  She took a new lifetime mark of 2:08.3. Her season started in early May with a win in 2:17 at Exhibition Park for a purse of just $200.  Her season concluded on November 23rd at that same track racing in the Jr. Invitation which carried a $400 prize. 

The purse structure in those days was pretty low as she seldom competed in an event carrying a purse of more than a few hundred dollars. 

1969 - Leboeuf Returns To Montreal 

Back in the early 1950s one of the top horsemen on the tough Montreal circuit was Francois "Frenchy" Leboeuf.  Based on his many successes at the Montreal tracks he moved to the New York scene, known to be the best paying tracks if you have success.  Frenchy did okay but as time went on he fell on some lean years.  Leboeuf decided to return to Montreal at the age of 44. 

Owner Ben Hymer, owner of the Cartier Stable, had entrusted him with the training and driving of four young pacing sons of Flickas Ensign including Pat Flicka, Irish Flicka, Bret and Glory Flicka. Along with several other hopefuls Leboeuf was planning on again racing in Montreal. He told a reporter "If I had stayed in Montreal years ago I am sure I would have made out much better."  He was hoping to regain his winning ways. 

Many fans will recall his glory days in Montreal with Bay State Pat and Star Volo, to name a couple of crowd pleasers. 

Quote For The Week: "It's sad to grow old,  but it's nice to ripen." - Brigitte Bardot 

Who Is It?  

Can you name these two fellows?  No longer with us but should be easy. 

Who Else Is It?  

Harness racing and hockey have enjoyed many connections over the years and with the current NHL season getting underway, here is another link. For many years the Barrie Flyers were based in the same town that later became home to Barrie Raceway.  Shown above are three players who performed for the Flyers.  Can you identify the fellow in the middle?  As far as I know he had nothing to do with harness racing but he certainly had a long association with hockey.  Who is he? I do not have an identity for the other two fellows. 

Carry Over Quiz Photo

Can you identify this gentleman? This man won just one Hambletonian and at the time he was the second youngest driver to win that prestigious race.  Can you figure out who he is? Both photos are of the same person.