SC Rewind: 50 Years Of Change

In this week's Rewind Robert Smith looks at what was happening in the world of Canadian harness racing 50 years ago and also discusses what has changed

from those many years ago.

The passage of fifty years is supposedly the span of two generations, but I know from experience that it can slip by pretty quickly. What seems like something that happened 10 years ago was probably more like 15, and the incident we remember so vividly from just 25 years ago more than likely was a lot longer ago than that. I'm sure you get my drift….

Upon close inspection, not too much of what was happening 50 years ago in our sport is still the same today. I have attempted to make some comparisons and recall some facts and figures and hope that it makes for interesting reading. Remember back then no cars had air conditioning, nobody wore seat belts and few automobiles had either power brakes or power steering. Not to mention that the simple procedure of putting a child in a car seat was light years away. Oh and we had yet to hear much from The Beatles who had just become a band in 1960.

Since 1960 was exactly 50 years ago I have used that as a central reference point.

What was happening in 1960?

Many small towns and villages across the land still staged race days, and in 1960 a total of 188 Canadian locations held at least one afternoon of racing for the local fans. Purses remained virtually unchanged and the seemingly low amount of $200 was still quite prevalent.

Ontario's only extended racing season consisted of a two-month summer meeting at Old Woodbine (later Greenwood) in Toronto. Heat racing had been virtually eliminated at Woodbine with enough horses available to go single dashes except for the odd stakes race. Everyday purses were in the $500 to $800 range.

The New Woodbine track which currently serves as one of the main two tracks along with Mohawk was a thoroughbred operation only built in 1955. No harness racing here for another 40 years.

Quebec had lots of racing in Montreal at Richelieu Park and Blue Bonnets. Some of the "name" drivers were Jimmy Larente, Russ Caldwell, Percy Robillard, Jim Wiener, Duncan MacTavish, Marcel Dostie, Maurice Pusey, Jack Gordon, Keith Waples, Bill Habkirk and a young lad with the first name Herve.

Connaught Park in Aylmer Quebec was a favourite of many Ontario stables as well as Quebecers and had a lengthy season from to mid May until the end of October. Some of the drivers were Ross & Neil Curran, Gord Kingston, Ken Galbraith and Wes Coke.

Many Canadian based stables spent the entire spring to fall racing season at several U.S. tracks such as Batavia, Buffalo, Vernon, Saratoga and Northville Downs, Hazel Park and Wolverine in Michigan.

Three icons of the sport in Canada were still at the forefront, all were still driving and not just for show - they were winning major races . In alphabetical order Duncan Campbell, Wm. Herbert and The Hon. Earl Rowe were a major presence and were welcomed wherever they travelled.

In the U.S. the top trotter of the year was Su Mac Lad, a 6-year old who won $159,662 along with a filly named Elaine Rodney handled by Clint Hodgins who won 13 races including The Kentucky Futurity. The top pacer was also in Mr. Hodgins’ stable, Bye Bye Byrd, winner of 11 races and over $187 000.

What had happened in recent years prior to 1960?

The great Canadian Pacing Derby, which originated at New Hamburg, Ont. in 1936, came to and end in 1957. It had yet to be resumed which it eventually was in 1965 at Greenwood.

The wearing of helmets by harness drivers was just coming into practice. It was phased in at different times depending on the jurisdiction and it was not unusual to have a few drivers in the same race still wearing the old style soft hats while others had switched to protective helmets.

On July 29, 1959 Mighty Dudley became the first horse to break the 2:00 barrier at Montreal's Richelieu Park for driver Keith Waples establishing Canada's first "miracle mile".

After a half century of racing, Dufferin Park had closed in the spring of 1955, ending winter racing. A new shopping mall was built on the historic grounds.

Thorncliffe Park also in the Toronto suburbs revived harness racing for a four-year period from 1950 to 1953 but shut down and the track property was used for commercial development.

What was about to happen in the five years following 1960?

In 1961 London's Western Fair Raceway became the first track to hold night time racing in the province of Ontario. In 1960 its racing program consisted of only three days in conjunction with the Western Fair held in September consisting of just 26 heats.

In 1963 a new track was completed at Campbellville, Ont. called Mohawk and opened that spring.

Garden City Raceway, a new track opened in the fall of 1964 at St. Catherines, Ont. as part of the Ontario Jockey Club circuit.

In the fall of 1965 a new all weather track designed for winter racing opened at Windsor, Ont.

A lingering question?

I know there are many people who were a part of the sport 50 years ago that are still very active today as well as many of the next generation or two.

I would like to know how many people who drove in a race in 1960 are likely to drive in a race this year? I can think of a few possibilities and two were mentioned here -- Herve Filion and Jimmy Larente. It would be interesting to know of more.