SC Rewind: Remembering 1985

In this week's edition of Rewind Robert Smith takes an indepth look back at some of the highlights of the harness racing season from 30 years ago, a glimpse at the rather recent past that was 1985.

Twin B Playboy was a most dominant performer in O.S.S. action all season long in 1985 and is shown here with Dave Wall driving in a winning effort. This colt was owned by Frank Milne of St. Catharines and Gary Lariviere of Ridgeville, Ont. and was groomed by Wayne Milligan. He was purchased for a modest $17,500 as a yearling from the McNiven family-owned Twinbrook Farms, located near Embro, Ont.

Grand Nader (2) trots home a winner over Odd Bowl during 1985 O.S.S. action in late season at Mohawk with Charlie Lawson aboard.

O.S.S. Highlights

This was the 12th year of O.S.S. competition and most successful to date. In 1985, 89 Ontario-sired two- and three-year-olds earned over $25,000 exclusively in Sires Stakes action. Six participants earned over $100,000 (four trotters, two pacers)

• Cranberry Hill: three-year-old filly trotter, led all OSS entrants in earnings at $118,859 (OSS only)

• Fastest mile in OSS by pacer: Twin B Playboy -- 1:56 (5/8 ths) and 1:56.2 (1/2 mile)

• Fastest mile by trotter: Lou Macs Dream (Three-Year-Old Colt) -- 1:59.2

• Fastest mile by Two-Year-Old Pacer: Ratso -- 1:59

• Fastest mile by Two-Year-Old Trotter: Nadirs Pride -- 2:00.3

• Two-year-old trotting colt Jayport Worthy Vic set a season's record of 2:03.1 on a half mile track, only a fifth of a second shy of Lifetime Chance's national record. At one point the Worthy Bowl colt won 10 consecutive races, 9 of which were OSS events

Major Events Of The Season

• Wm. "Magic Man" O'Donnell had a career year, scoring victories in both the Hambo and The Little Brown Jug during 1985 (USTA photo)

• Staff Director (Dave Wall) wins Pepsi N.A. Cup in 1:55.2

• On The Road Again takes Can. Pacing Derby in 1:55.3 for Bud Gilmour

• Falcon Seelster victorious in Provincial Cup at Windsor

• Staff Director wins $35,00 Labatt's Pace at London in 1:57.4 trained and driven by Dave Wall

• Brees Brief wins Fan Hanover in 1:55.4 for Doug Brown and trainer Stew Firlotte

• Manfred Hanover wins Maple Leaf Trot in 1:58.1

• Nihilator, driven by Wm. O'Donnell captures The Little Brown Jug, fastest heat in 1:52.1

• What's Next wins Confederation Cup after Armbro Dallas is disqualified

• Prakas takes Hambletonian in record time of 1:54.3 for Bill O'Donnell

B Track Happenings

• Barrie - Much of the season was obliterated when a tornado swept through on May 31 and closed the Raceway for over four months. It reopened on Oct. 16

• Clinton - 14 dates of racing were held. Ross Battin was the dash winning leader with 20 wins, beating out Fred Sadler and John Muir. Wayne Dupee won the percentage crown. Top trainer award was shared by Dupee and Paul Taylor. The Fleming Feed Mill Invitational was won by Springbank, owned by Harvey and Nadia Neff of Delaware.

• Dresden - Average wagering was $105,146. The Canada Day Pace went to Action Seelster driven by Doug McIntosh and D A Dariel for Dennis Duford. John Campbell won the $6,000 Shelly Goudreau Memorial in front of 3,000 fans with Split Image owned by The Lawrence family of Blenheim. Ken Quirie was leading dash winner with 64 wins over Terry Kerr's 57 victories.

• Elmira - Ross Battin won his fifth straight driver's title with 59 wins over Brian Dunbar (37) and Dave Duncan (34). Terry Newman led all trainers with 32 wins. Nadirs Pride made a winning visit taking the Trillium Trot despite making a break and having to make up 20 lengths. Bills Bunny was voted Pacer of the Year.

• Goderich - Several "give-away" nights were held with race winners receiving either a halter or a cooler donated by local merchants. The Ron Feagan Memorial was a feature of August 29 and Springbank was the winner under the urging of Fred Sadler. Ross Battin led all drivers in wins while Randy McLean took the trainer award as he won seven races from 31 tries. The top percentage teamster was Clarence Young with a .528 average.

• Hanover - Gerald Sloan drove in 208 races making him the busiest driver by far and he made the best of it. He won the dash title with 52 victories. Paul Walker and Mark Etsell were a distant second tied at 25 wins each. Rosies Glory won the Allan Walker Memorial driven by Bud Fritz

• Kingston Park - This eastern track saw its first $100,000 mutuel handle in history when four O.S.S. events attract a huge crowd that wagered $117,033. KP drivers prevailed over Rideau Carleton with Sam Mullholland and Chris Storms finishing 1-2 in the competition. A rarity occurred when two-year-old T J Taxi was involved in a dead heat for win twice within three days

• Orangeville - Lloyd Spinks led all drivers with 135 wins. The track celebrated its 15th anniversary and held the Waples Family reunion with six members driving. Kyleakin Lass with Robert Walker driving won the Dr. Riddell Memorial. Wagering and attendance was up 15 per cent from 1984

• Leamington - Mark Williams was the leading dash winner with 47 victories. Five new track records were set including a 1:59.1 mile by Soccer, driven by Mike Jarvis. The stable of Pat and Darlene Kelly of Oldcastle led the training department with 37 wins

• Woodstock - Rod Robblee led in both driving and training wins, followed by Fred Sadler and Ross Battin. Barry Graham won the UDRS award, beating out Alan Morrison. Annie Ivy won the $3,500 Labatt's Invitational over Dovers Fancy and Roger B Quick on the final day of the season.

Fuchsia in rein to Larry Walker shows the form that earned her the honor of OJC Aged Trotting Mare in 1985

Other Highlights of the 1985 Season

• Brees Brief (Doug Brown) wins OJC Harness horse of the year, On The Road Again second

• Dave Wall, 38, selected as OJC horseman of the year over Steve Condren, Doug Brown

• Bill Robinson named top non driving trainer over Bob McIntosh and Fred Hoffman

• Herve Filion records his 9000th career victory in January of 1985

• Glen Garnsey, 52, is killed in an auto accident

• Jerald Sulkies can be purchased in Canada from Larry & Colleen Gibbons at McIntosh Tack in Wheatley

• Me Gotta Bret, a $3,900 yearling purchase, nears $100,000 career at Northlands

• Hy Class Minbar rewrites the record book for Western breds winning $339,183

• Nihilator sets 1:49.3 world record on Hambo day for Bill O'Donnell

• Bridger, two-time Maple Leaf Trot winner, is retired in ceremonies at Greenwood

• Staff Director named OJC 3 YO pacing colt of the year

• Canada's nominee to International Trot General D Brook has to be euthanized

• Lloyd Gilmour records his 2000th career win at Vernon Downs in May

• Fuchsia is voted OJC Aged Trotting Mare. Owned by Barb Lennox and Don Lawson, trained and driven by Larry Walker, groomed by Keith Klages

• Bill and Sadie Habkirk were honoured by O.H.H.A as "Citizens of the Year" at their annual banquet

• The Christmas Issue of The Standardbred Magazine carried a feature article on the long and interesting life of Duncan Campbell, who at the time was 85 years young

Bill Habkirk (right) and his wife Sadie accept the OHHA Senior Citizens award from Assoc. President Gordon Sherwin.

Popular Sires Standing in Ontario
(This list is alphabetical, not based on performance or service fee)

Armbro Splurge - $3,000
Coal Harbor - $3,000
Dallas Almahurst - $2,500
Dream Of Glory - $7,500
Fundamentalist - $3,000
Kawartha Skipper - $3,500
League Leader - $2,000
Legal Notice - $10,000
Rabbit Road -$2,000
Springfield - $2,500
Willow Wiper - $2,500
Worthy Bowl - $3,000