SC Rewind: Canada's Greatest Racing Day

In this week's edition of Rewind, Robert Smith recalls what is regarded as one of the greatest days in Canadian Harness Racing history.

His story recalls an event from the glory days when Montreal's Richelieu Park was considered the "Mecca Of Trotting and Pacing". No bigger race had ever been staged and the outcome of the afternoon's proceedings immediately etched itself as one of the sport's greatest days in history.

Adios Butler, in rein to Eddie Cobb, glides to the wire in 1:58.2 with a huge Richelieu Park crowd looking on. Finishing second is Bye Bye Byrd (Clint Hodgins) with fourth-place finisher Tar Boy (Levi Harner) also in the picture. Out of camera range on the inside was third-place finisher Apmat with Billy Haughton in the sulky. [Hoof Beats]

The calendar has seen almost fifty-five years come and go since that glorious Sunday afternoon at Montreal's Richelieu Park. It was Sunday, July 16, 1961, a date often referred to by harness writers and historians as "The Day Harness Racing In Canada Came Of Age." If it wasn't exactly that, it was pretty darned close. Sometimes considered the cradle of harness racing by journalists and commentators, the Bout de I'lle track was long known for its hospitality and the quality of racing it presented on a regular basis. What better place for a history making day.

A half century or more ago harness racing in Canada and indeed across the Continent was on the rise. One of the key ingredients to many successful tracks was a good promoter. At this time there may not have been any better or more popular such figure than Georges Giguere. Originally a very capable trainer and driver, he started his lifetime affinity with the standardbreds in his native Quebec City. By 1961 he had long since laid his driving gear aside and was making things happen at the tracks in Metropolitan Montreal. He was more than just a race secretary; he had a certain 'flair' about him.

Georges knew virtually everyone in the business and was not afraid to run up some pretty hefty long distance bills to get in touch with whomever he thought would enhance the show in Montreal. He had long been known for his $15,000 Invitations but he felt there was more that could be done...a lot more.

He wanted to put on a $25,000 Invitational but he wasn't about to give such money out for anything short of the finest horses available. His initial hurdle was convincing track owner J. Louis Levesque to part with that kind of money. Remember back then that was a pretty good piece of change. After some long talks and persuasive arguments, Giguere finally got his way.

Starting in early June the ambitious Race Secretary started to put the race together; first on paper and then it started to take shape for real. Many years later in an interview he recalled how it all came about. "It didn't take me long to get the horses I wanted. I knew the drivers and trainers of all the best horses of that day, and every one of them agreed to co-operate." The "big" horse in 1961 was Adios Butler and Giguere reportedly secured him first; the others he invited one by one. "It was an All-Star cast and they didn't let him down" so stated a line in the Montreal Gazette.

An aerial view of Richelieu Park taken in 1956 showing a huge crowd and full parking lot. [Harness Horse]

As fate would have it, that Sunday afternoon was perfect in pretty much every way possible. Shortly before noon the old grandstand at Richelieu was nearly full. By first race post time some 17,000 avid fans jammed every available square inch to be had; some parked a mile away. Special buses brought people in from places like Kingston and Belleville in Ontario and of course from Trois Rivieres and Quebec City. The race attracted such wide-spread attention that it became the first harness race in history to be telecast on the CBC National network.

At this time children were not admitted into Richelieu Park. This did not however mean that a child deeply interested in harness racing couldn't see the race. At the head of the stretch stood the old Hotel Richelieu and its proprietor the genial Mr. Hubert Soucie graciously allowed certain individuals a perfect vantage point on a lower floor roof. I know of at least one individual who was there on the roof that day and he is a reader of these Rewind columns.

A view of the packed grandstand with the Richelieu Hotel in the background [Harness Horse]

Prior to this day just one sub-two minute mile had ever been recorded in Canadian history. It had occurred at this very track, almost two years to the day before this magical afternoon. As most people know it was Mighty Dudley with Keith Waples in the sulky that turned that first "magic mile" setting the new standard at 1:59.3. Mr. Giguere and his colleagues and indeed most in the audience were hoping for an even faster mile.

Presented as the ninth event of the afternoon's ten-race card, the big race turned out to be everything that Mr. Giguere had envisioned and more. As the horses left the post Delvin Miller left smartly with O'Brien Hanover and took the field down to the quarter pole in a blistering 29.1. As the clock recorded 59 flat at the half, Eddie Cobb slipped Adios Butler out of the three-hole and marched home in a heart stopping 1:58.2 with Bye Bye Byrd second and Apmat third. From all accounts the then five-year-old Adios Butler was never seriously challenged and won handily.

The picture displayed with today's story shows the two fastest horses in the sport at that time finishing 1-2 and surely no twosome ever thrilled more fans across the nation than Adios Butler and Bye Bye Byrd. This race could not have been staged even the year following as both horses were retired at the conclusion of the 1961 season and in fact this was Bye Bye Byrd's final appearance in a race.

It was the fastest mile ever to that date on a half-mile track in Canada with five of the seven horses timed in sub 2:00 speed. Only sixth place finisher Newport Admiral and Sir Winston Pick, the lone Canadian entry, failed to break the elusive barrier with the latter timed in 2:00.3. It became the fourth fastest mile in North American history over a half-mile oval and earned a special bonus of $1,000 for driver Eddie Cobb. Another long standing record was set as the huge crowd sent $585,000 through the mutuels.

Georges Giguere revealed later that he had full confidence from the start in the success of the venture but that his view was not held by all. He told the story that on Saturday evening prior to the race his boss Mr. Levesque drove down to the track to do a little checking of his own. Reportedly he went to the stables and checked every stall to see that the invited horses had all arrived. He still couldn't believe that his brilliant Race Secretary had pulled it off.

In later years a race named in honour of Adios Butler was established and held for many years at Richelieu Park. Special giveaways including coloured television sets and pictures of this famous horse were given out to lucky fans. It was a day to remember and surely one that anyone in attendance would never forget.

Summary and Results: International Invitational Pace - July 16, 1961

1 - Adios Butler (Eddie Cobb)
2 - Bye Bye Byrd (Clint Hodgins)
3 - Apmat (Wm. Haughton)
4 - Tar Boy (Levi Harner)
5 - O'Brien Hanover (Delvin Miller)
6 - Newport Admiral (Del Cameron)
7 - Sir Winston Pick (Roger White)

Times: 29.1; 59.2; 1:29.1; 1:58.2 (Track Fast)
Mile time was a Richelieu Park track record and a Canadian record

Post Script: When reading of things from the past one naturally wonders what the dollar value of that time period would be in comparison to today's numbers. Thanks to the Internet it is quite easy to translate these figures. Below I have listed a few comparisons between 1961 and 2016 using the handy inflation calculator.

Purse of $25,000 = $198,000
Mutuel Handle of $585,000 = $4,635,000
Day's total purses for 10 races $40,200 = $318,500
Adios Butler's lifetime earnings $509,844 = $4,040,000
Bye Bye Byrd's lifetime earnings $554,257 = $4,391,000