SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1950s

sc-rewind-years-ago-1950s-370.jpg
Published: March 4, 2017 10:46 am EST

This week's Rewind takes a look back to the decade of the 1950s as Robert Smith displays a number of short stories and old photos in the monthly feature titled Years Ago.

1953 - Truro, N.S. Track Enjoys Long Season


Iola Henley, was the winner of the July 1, 1953 $1,500 Free For All at Truro, the season's largest purse. This mare, who enjoyed legendary status in this area, is said to have won 103 heats during her long career. She's shown above (not at Truro) in rein to owner Clayton MacLeod. (Photo courtesy of the late Marie Hill)

The Truro track which pioneered night racing in the region enjoyed a long and productive season in 1953. Clayton MacLeod of Westville, N.S. led all drivers in wins as his mounts made frequent trips to the winner's circle from the opening of the season on June 2nd until closing day October 12th. This gentleman started his driving career at age 15 and soon began to set records at the tracks near his home. He was a close friend of Joe O'Brien. One of his most consistent performers was the amazing mare Iola Henley, who won 10 of her 16 season's starts. Racing in Free For All company all season, she finished out her 14-year-old campaign with $2,137 added to her lifetime earnings of over $16,000.

A number of other drivers enjoyed productive seasons as well. Among the leaders were veteran Johnny Conroy, Charlie Connors, Harley Harrison, Frank Daniels, Donald & George Turner, Ray O'Brien, Laurie O'Brien, Lloyd Walker, Kirk Pinkney and Edward Haley, just to name a few. One of the area's great racing family's patriarch was still very active; this man was Leonard Barrieau.

A horse with a very catchy name was just starting his career at this time, a three-year-old pacer sired by Pepper whose name was Pepper Shaker. He was a 17 time winner for drivers Charlie Connors and Aurele Gould in 51 starts, many were over the Truro track.

1955 - Mr Galvin Named Horse Of Year in Western New York

Dec. 13, 1955 - The four-year-old pacing gelding Mr. Galvin owned by J. Russell Miller of Dutton, Ont. has been named Harness Horse of 1955 in the annual Batavia Downs poll of sportswriters from radio, television and the local newspapers. His 13 first-place votes far outdistanced his nearest competitor Hal O Matic, a three-year-old pacer who garnered seven votes. In the overall voting Mr Galvin earned 158 points to 112 for the runner up. A total of eight horses were listed with at least one first-place vote.

Mr. Galvin was bred in the U.S. but foaled in Canada. In January of 1951, Miller purchased the mare Claire Abbe from his close friend W.J. Galvin of Wilmington, Ohio in foal to Chief Counsel for $400 and he was foaled on May 5, 1951. The colt was named after the man Mr. Galvin who unfortunately died in 1952. He was a immediate star on the racetrack at both two and three and through his four-year-old season was out of the money on only three occasions. To this point he had 34 wins, six seconds and three thirds in 49 lifetime starts.

The 1955 season saw him take a new lifetime mark of 2:02 at Buffalo Raceway which equalled the world record for a four-year-old gelding on a half-mile track. Besides his successes in Western New York, he also won two rich stakes in Detroit and also was victorious in the Canada Cup at Toronto's Old Woodbine. His earnings during this highly successful season amounted to $26,146.75 from 14 wins. Mr. Miller's main driver was Toronto-born Johnny Chapman who campaigns on the Buffalo - Batavia Circuit. A mid-season injury to Chapman put Eddie Wheeler in the bike for several starts including the double heat victory at Old Woodbine.

1956 - Bud Gilmour Wins Batavia Drivers Crown


Bud Gilmour appears at the podium at a post-season horsemen's gathering. The young Canadian-born horseman, who started his career at the old Dufferin Park, was just starting his meteoric rise in the sport at this time.

For the second straight year Wm. "Bud" Gilmour, a native of Ridgeway, Ont., has captured the leading driver award at Batavia Downs. The 24-year-old horseman, who is now in his second year of operating a public stable, scored an incredible 76 wins in 401 trips postward, making him by far the busiest teamster on the grounds. He also tallied 72 seconds and 62 third-place finishes as his stable earned $76,993, the leader in that department as well. His driving average of .341 led the way, finishing second in the percentage race with a .339 was Levi Harner, who incidentally is Gilmour's father-in-law.

Several other Canadian-based drivers ranked high on the final statistics list as well. Johnny Chapman, Harold Wellwood and Joe Hodgins were all on the top 10 listings. During this time period Batavia was a favourite spot for Canadian-based stables.

Note - Just this week the last of the four Gilmour brothers, the youngest Lloyd ("Fuzzy") passed away on February 26 at the age of 71. Bud, George, John (Guy) and Lloyd were all first-class horsemen.

1959 - U.S. Contingent Tours Europe


Delvin Miller (on the left) is shown in a morning gallop along with famed French driver Jean Riaud as the two switch their normal spots on a sulky for a seat in the saddle. This photo was taken in France and the horse on the right is Jamin, a world famous trotter. Delvin was regarded as perhaps the greatest ambassador ever for the sport of harness racing.

In 1959 a rather large group of U.S. horsepeople, headed by the noted Delvin Miller, toured several European Countries to inspect their racing facilities and also to lay plans for an upcoming International Trot to be held at Roosevelt Raceway. The race, which would carry a purse of $50,000, would be run along the same lines as the Laurel Thoroughbred race with ten starters, two of them American. One of the members of the group, Roosevelt's Director of Racing Alden Gray, stated that he already had entries from France, West Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Canada. If all goes well the race would be a feature of the August 1 opening day at Roosevelt.

In all, Delvin Miller spent six weeks in Europe where he and the entire group were royally treated wherever they visited. Mr. Miller renewed old friendships, made new ones and even participated in several racing events. While a goodly number of prominent people in the sport were able to take part in this great trip unfortunately Billy Haughton was not as his wife experienced a miscarriage and he remained at home with her.

P.S. - The big trotting race did go on as planned on August 1 for a $50,000 purse with the winner Jamin of France for driver Jean Riaud. Canada's entrant Philip Frost finished seventh in the eight-horse field, which went a distance of 1 1/2 miles.

1959 - Dares Direct Wins Canadian Juvenile Series At Three Rivers


Mrs. Charles H Cote, wife of Three Rivers Race Secretary, makes a trophy presentation to owner driver Del MacTavish following a victory at the Three Rivers Track by Dares Direct. [Harness Horse]


​​Following a huge year as a two-year-old, Dares Direct ​is again enjoying great success as a sophomore for owner driver Del MacTavish of LaChute, Que. The above photo was taken following a win in the $6,800 third leg of the three-year-old pacing series as he defeated his arch rival Sir Winston Pick and six others in 2:05.2. Up to this point the son of Meadow Gene had earned $33,455 in his two-year racing career. To date his best mile at three was clocked in 2:03.3. The current crop of three-year-olds racing in Quebec have benefited from the new stakes program which now offers some lucrative purses to the entrants.

Later that season Dares Direct competed in the Little Brown Jug in Delaware where he finished 3-4. That year's Jug winner was none other than Adios Butler and driver Clint Hodgins. At that time the purse was $76,582 and the fastest heat was 1:59.2.

Tags
Have something to say about this? Log in or create an account to post a comment.