SC Rewind: A Day At The Races, Old Style

For this week's Rewind Robert Smith takes readers back in time as he recreates a day at the races;  the way it used to be.  A number of great old photographs help to tell the story of what it was like to attend an afternoon of harness racing at a small town track, way back when.   

The roots of harness racing are deeply embedded in race days at the small-town tracks across the land.  Many towns had race tracks within their geographical limits.  They were most often a focal point and used for many purposes.  A number of years ago I wrote about this very subject and recalled the track in the small town where I grew up.  There was never a race day in my lifetime,  but I heard about them from some oldtimers in the community.  

Today the path of the track remains but only to those like me who remember where it once was. It is just a wide path in spots and part of the entrance in another. Each time I attend the fair I can visualize in my mind how it once was, and even the passage of time has not erased the memory of riding around it in a cutter with my father's trainer. (Does anyone remember a man named Benny Larocque from Carman, Manitoba?)

Slowly but surely over the years and decades, our once quaint and useful tracks have disappeared one by one. Many have been consumed by urban sprawl, replaced by subdivisions or commercial ventures. Thankfully some have been converted into making the town park larger. The old wooden grandstands that were part of the facilities were replaced in the earlier years but eventually fell prey to neglect, decline and decay. Some were even consumed by fire and never replaced. A precious few remain as do a few saved photographs and countless old memories.

A DAY AT THE RACES 

The old photographs shown below are intended to take readers back to what things looked like back in the day when races were held at a small-town track.  These photos were taken at the old Rodney, Ont. track also referred to at times as Aldborough Downs.  The date of the race day captured in the accompanying pictures was May 23, 1966, so almost 58 years ago.  

A packed grandstand was most often  the sign of a good day of racing.  Here is a view of the Rodney grandstand as racing fans of all ages take in the action.  

The starting gate with starter Art Whitesell perched in the back leads a field onto the track.  Art was an automobile dealer in Tillsonburg and was among the very first people to build and operate a mobile starting gate.  His first public appearance with his new gate was in 1947 at Grand Valley, Ont. 

Fans gather at the betting booth to place their wagers.  One feature of this type of "book betting" the odds maker wrote the horses names on a chalkboard.  After a careful inspection I was able to determine the horses in the upcoming event. 

The horses along with their order of finish were  Noral Chief - scratch, September Morn C (4-5), Good Product (5-6), Teddy Hal (2-4), Candy Bonn (6-1), Hippodrome (1-2), Carol Knight (3-3). 

Here is the finish of one of the four races showing Candy Bonn cruising to victory.   

Race Day Summary 

Note: Each race carried a purse of $250, $125 each heat, so fans got to see eight races in total.  

Race 1 - In the opening heat the winner was a three-year-old filly Janice M Grattan owned by Stewart McDonald of Chatham and driven by Al Schweitzer. In the second heat the winner was Nancy Ann Grattan in rein to co-owner Frank Reid of Windsor who shared ownership with Richard Carter. 

Race 2 - In the opening heat Miss Maryl Ann was first home for owners Jack Lumley and Ted Thomas of Petrolia. The  driver was Arnold "Bucky" Armstrong also of Petrolia.  In the second heat Gunner Creed was the victor for driver and owner Ellis Dell of Becher, Ont.

Race 3 - Three-year-old Easy Sara gave Ellis Dell another win in the opener. He co-owned this filly with his son Elwin.  In the second, 11-year-old Davie Boy was the winner for veteran horseman Billy Nevels of Appin, owned by Reg Clark of Glencoe. 

Race 4 - Once again two winners, with Hippodrome in the opener with Ken Bogart in the bike for owner Nelson Srigley of Wheatley.  In the second it was Candy Bonn owned by Otis and Ross Parr of London in the quickest time of the afternoon, 2:10.2. 

Note: All of the photographs appearing in today's Rewind are courtesy of the Elgin County Archives. Many thanks.

Quote For The Week: With St. Patrick's Day being observed on March 17th,  this one is dedicated to the Irish.  It has been said that only a true Irishman answers a question with another question.  Example: When asked "How old are you?" an Irishman answers with "How old are you?" Top O' The Mornin To Ya and Happy St. Patrick's Day To All!

Where Is It?

Can you identify the location of this once popular small-town Ontario track that held racing for a lot of years but not for many years now.  Two clues;  it is not Rodney and it is located east of Toronto.  Good luck. 

Who Is It??

Help needed on this one.  This nice clear photo came to me as a possible for the weekly Quiz but unfortunately without any names.  It is supposed to have originated at a Maritime track, location not known.  Perhaps someone in the audience can shine some light on it.