SC Rewind: Haughton Remembered

In this week's edition of Rewind Robert Smith remembers the lifetime and career of the great U.S. horseman Wm. R. "Billy" Haughton. His sudden and untimely death occurred over 30 years ago, but he continues to enjoy legendary status in our sport.

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Billy Haughton in a 1950's photo (Hoof Beats)

A little over 30 years ago back on July 15, 1986 harness racing was dealt a crushing blow. The tremendously popular and highly successful Billy Haughton died as a result of injuries received in a racing accident at Yonkers Raceway 10 days earlier on July 5th. Many in the industry felt that a helmet with better design may have lessened the severity of his injuries, but that debate will never be answered. The shock waves caused by his death reverberated around the globe and to this day he is still sorely missed. He endeared himself to virtually everyone he ever met. He was a master at whatever he did and was welcomed wherever he travelled; he was truly 'a man for all seasons'. He was just 62 at the time of his passing, a life ended far too soon.

William Robert Haughton was born in Gloversville, New York on November 22, 1923. His farm upbringing in a community known as Fultonville and closeness to a world still immersed in the horse culture seemed to naturally lead to a love of all equine creatures. His first horse was a pony simply named "Betty" that he received when he was just five. Using a small homemade sulky-like contraption fashioned from a basket cart Billy began to emulate the 'racers' from the annual nearby Fonda, N.Y. Fair. A few years later his father got him a well-used old sulky and he continued his love affair with being introduced to the sulky sport. He was 'racing' without even leaving the farm.

At a very young age Billy began his life-long association with harness racing when he accepted a $7-a-week job as a groom with a well-known local horseman named Billy Muckle. In 1942 the young 19-year-old Haughton scored his first lifetime victory behind a Muckle-trained horse named Hollyrood Arrow. Throughout High School he continued to groom horses at the local fairgrounds, always eager to learn whatever he could. In later years he was quick to credit Mr. Muckle for his trust in him and also stated that his early lessons remained forever.

In addition to his pursuit of a career in harness racing, Haughton also decided early in life to further his education. He enrolled at Cobleskill College with an aim toward a degree in Animal Husbandry. At this time with WW II in progress, many young people's careers were interrupted by military service. Billy attempted to enter the army but was refused due to an injury that he had received earlier in a horse-related accident. He continued his schooling while grooming and training horses in the summer months. In 1946 he graduated from Cobleskill but was still intent on a career in harness racing. Today in memory of both Billy and he and Dottie's son Peter who died at a young age in an auto accident, an annual scholarship is offered at his alma mater.

​Billy and son Peter enjoy a ride together. Peter followed closely in his father's footsteps as a top trainer and driver but died tragically in a 1980 auto accident (Hoof Beats)

By 1947 just after the end of WW II, his full-time career in the sport began with the operation of a public stable at Saratoga Springs track. His business acumen and superior horsemanship soon combined to form a winning formula on and off the track. His ability to win races and run a stable soon attracted prospective owners and many lasting relationships began to form. His popularity was apparent from the start and it was a trait that would continue through his long career.

After a few visits to the two big twice-arounds in New York -- namely Roosevelt and Yonkers -- Billy moved his operation there in 1949 as well as racing at Saratoga. One of his best early horses was Ankaway (pictured below) that became part of his winning combination with ten victories that season.

​Ankaway, an early standout for Billy Haughton shown in front of the huge Roosevelt Raceway grandstand (Hoof Beats)

His successes came quickly and his stable grew in numbers as he began to develop young horses and compete in the lucrative stakes that were then coming into being. In 1955 on his initial visit to Delaware, Ohio, he captured his first of five Little Brown Jugs with Quick Chief. His major conquests in the sport also included four wins as a driver in the Hambletonian but he was never able to win the Kentucky Futurity.

Through much of his career Billy was naturally compared to fellow horseman Stanley Dancer who was just a few years younger than Haughton. (At right, Billy and Stanley Dancer share a light-hearted moment in this trackside photo.)

While many similarities in their accomplishments and attributes existed, a number of stark differences set them apart. Stanley craved publicity and the limelight and loved to be the centre of attention. Billy was much more reserved and laid back, satisfied to have people approach him. Dancer liked to purchase sale toppers and highly-touted youngsters while Haughton shopped the entire catalogue and often sought out bargains for his owners. Stanley hated criticism and when disagreements with owners arose he was not adverse to severing ties. Billy was very caring and patient with those around him and attempted to have personal contact and dialogue with all of his patrons. Dancer was known to brood and sulk following a losing drive, whereas Haughton was more concerned with his next race, confident that the past could not be overturned.

Despite his tremendously busy work and family schedule Haughton still found time to serve the sport he so dearly loved. At the time of his passing he was the longest continuously serving USTA Representative having started back in 1955. He wrote several manuals on training and other related topics. He was said to have a special knack for conserving his energy and operating on little sleep. Murray Brown of Hanover Shoe Farms fame recalls seeing him actually take a short nap between heats while he was driving in the Hambletonian at DuQuoin. While this trait had its merits it was also almost costly as he once fell asleep while driving and he hit a guard rail. Beyond minor damage to his vehicle he escaped serious injury.

A rather humorous story revealing the human side of Mr. Haughton is told. It seems that he and his wife Dottie were spending a rare evening at home when a knock at the door came and drew their attention. Two nuns were canvassing for an important Church project and they asked for Billy's support which would take the form of a $500 donation. He obliged but his generosity was contingent on him winning a certain race upcoming at Yonkers. They left satisfied but Billy questioned whether or not he would ever hear from them again. A couple of days later after he was victorious in the subject race, the phone began to ring at 4:00 a.m. at the Haughton residence. He was sure they had a pipeline to the track and also surmised they had returned to the convent and lit some candles.

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In a career that spanned five decades Billy often appeared in the winner's circle but usually as a driver. Here he is shown at a fair in New York State as he greets his wife Dottie who was making a rare appearance in the sulky.

While the huge Haughton stable campaigned mainly in the U.S. it was not uncommon when races with larger purses were offered in Canada that a top performer was shipped in. A couple of prime examples occurred back in 1957 when in the short span of less than one week, two horses from the Haughton outfit established new track records at Montreal's Blue Bonnets track; one of each gait. On July 21 Duane Hanover, one of the stable's top performers was shipped in to contest the Cattarinich Memorial Pace which carried a purse of $13,200. In front of a huge crowd the pair turned back a field of the best pacers around and in the process established a new track record of 2:02 flat. This erased the former mark of 2:03 set just three weeks earlier by Ezra Deen, who finished 5th in this race.

Just five days later Haughton returned to Montreal and again set a Blue Bonnets track record, this time it was with the great trotting performer Trader Horn, perhaps at the peak of his career. The new mark was recorded as 2:02.3. These performances showed the power and class of the members of the Haughton stable.

Duane Hanover appears in the Blue Bonnets winner's circle with a host of guests. From left: Lucien Bombardier, Haughton, co-owners Mr. and Mrs. Karl, Eugene Lajoie of Blue Bonnets, Rene Chartrand and co-owner Francois Seremba. Take note of the gigantic Sunday afternoon crowd on hand to witness this record-setting event. (Harness Horse)

Billy Haughton's statistics were phenomenal and still climbing at the time of his tragic death although he had cut back on his driving assignments by then. He had won 4,910 races and banked over $40 Million in a career that spanned the better part of five decades. He wrote the book on $1 million dollar seasons with 19 in a row. A list of his great horses would be a long one; almost impossible to compile. Still as racing scribes wrote about his career and its sad ending, invariably he was applauded for his human qualities and the fact that virtually everyone 'loved' him.

​Billy is shown here in a morning training mile. He trained a huge stable and wintered in Florida for many years where he broke a large number of youngsters each year.

Thirty years have come and gone since Billy's passing but his name is still mentioned whenever the all-time greats are remembered and revered. He helped to author the greatest and most memorable chapter in our sport's history. Despite his accomplishments and successes, he always retained his humility and respect for everyone he met. His memory will never be too far away.

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