SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1980s

This week's 'Rewind' offering is the monthly edition of Years Ago and focuses on names, faces and happenings from the decade of the 1980s. A wide range of topics are featured as well as a few old photos related to the themes.

1982 - Quebec Tracks Experiencing Financial Problems

July 1982 - The current state of wagering at nearly all Quebec tracks is in critical condition according to a report in a recent edition of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. The write up states that the only one of Quebec's five tracks making a profit at this time is Connaught Park in Aylmer, Que. The immediate explanation offered by General Manager Joe Gorman was that because of their proximity to Ontario they are at an advantage over other Quebec tracks. Almost 80 percent of the bettors are from Ontario, where a better economy now exists.

The story cited that betting at Montreal's Blue Bonnets track was down 11 percent from the previous year creating some serious cutbacks. Roger Jolicoeur, Exec. V.P. at Blue Bonnets, stated that his track was forced to lay off approximately 100 employees. The track at Trois-Rivieres, which is City-owned, was in the midst of a 15 percent decline. They were scraping by but only because of government assistance from a fund established to keep racetracks in business. The track at Quebec City was up fractionally but had barely increased their handle in the past 14 years. In the worst shape was the track at Jonquiere which remained closed with very little hope of reopening. Its fate remained in the heads of its creditors.

Government takeouts, which had been recently increased to an average of 12.15 percent, were cited as a major reason for the downturn in daily handles combined with rapidly declining attendance. By comparison, the take from U.S. tracks amounted to around 6.5 - 7 percent. Mr. Gorman stated, "our Provincial government has been taking too much money. If you milk the cow dry, one day you'll wake up and find the cow dead."

1984 - 35 Years Ago: Condren and Burns Named Tops On O.J.C. Circuit

Two young horsemen who literally grew up on the Ontario Jockey Club Circuit have both been recognized for their outstanding accomplishments during the 1984 season. In a year-end poll conducted by 17 harness racing media personalities, the top driver and trainer awards were recently announced. The O.J.C. year-end awards were first instituted in 1966.

In the OJC balloting for Horseman of the year Steve Condren, a 27-year-old horseman who won his first race back in 1977 at Orangeville, polled seven votes, Dave Wall four and Ron Waples received three. In mid-November when the voting took place he had already won 230 races and more than $1.6 million in purses competing on the O.J.C., numbers unheard of a few years previous and a testament to the calibre of racing on this very tough circuit.

Steve Condren and John Burns

In the non-driving trainer's race John Burns, a 35-year-old native of Collingwood, was the top vote getter and this marked the third time he had won this prestigious honour. He had been previously voted top trainer in both 1979 and 1980.

1985 - Sackville Downs Closes

An important Nova Scotia landmark disappeared from the Province in 1985 with the closing of Sackville Downs. For several decades the track flourished as it drew large crowds to watch harness racing at its best. In the early years great local rivalries and excellent racing improved with each passing year as the owners upgraded its facilities in every possible way. At one time the Sackville track became the "harness racing showplace of the Maritimes."

A view of the Sackville Downs parking lot during its heyday. I see that people who attended the races drove Fords and Chevies.

Two outstanding pacers attracted many fans to the track in its early days of operation. Sackville Downs, always associated with the Cruikshanks name, had great horse rivalries. The first goes back to 1956 when Convair and Dave Gratton were stealing the others’ thunder. Convair held the track’s pacing record on two occasions with a 2:07.1 mile in 1956 and a 2:05.2 performance in 1959. Through the early sixties, Dee’s Boy and Bob Brook were the stars of any performance. Both established track records. Dee’s Boy had a 2:03.3 win in 1962, with Bob Brook breaking that record two years later courtesy a 2:02.4 victory.

The track was razed to make way for future commercial development. The Sackville Downs is now home to the Downsview Mall extension, where a chain of retail outlets and Sobeys currently operates, along the heart of Sackville’s business district, Sackville Drive. (Info. and photo courtesy of Fultz House Museum)

1988 - Canadian Owners Receive Vernon Downs Award

The annual banquet to honour the season's best was held at Vernon Downs on Sunday, October 16. The Canadian-owned three-year-old colt Freddy Dallas was selected as co-winner for top sophomore pacing colt of the season. The son of Dallas Almahurst, owned by Rejean Boily of Consecon and Frederick Outwater of Belleville, piled up $11,510 in purse money in this his first year of racing. Trained by Jeff Johnson and driven by Boily, the colt won eight of 14 starts and also recorded three seconds and a third.

The duo of Johnson and Boily had a very successful season racing over Vernon's three-quarter mile track with the award-winning horse taking a new lifetime record of 1:58. Freddy Freedom, a half-brother to Freddy Dallas earned a nice $21,000 racing in the top class most of the season. All owners of award-winning horses received radio cassette players as their trophy. Note: I think our level of technology has risen slightly over the years. If anyone still has a radio cassette player it may well be considered a collectors item.

Frederick Outwater of Belleville (centre) and Rejean Boily (left) accept an award won by their three-year-old pacing colt Freddy Dallas from Bill Andrews of Vernon Downs. A total of 20 cassette recorders were handed out to winning owners at the banquet. (Can. Sportsman)

1989 - Canadians Busy At Harrisburg

Late in the year the last major sale on the 1989 calendar was held at Harrisburg. A total of 1,026 yearlings in total were sold with 296 finding their way across the border to Canada. This was a sharp increase, 85 more than 1988, and it fetched a total of almost $5,495,000. Canadians also purchased 175 horses at the mixed sale leaving nearly $3 million more of their hard-earned cash in the U.S..

Several buyers were active from far away points such as Finland, West Germany, Italy and Sweden to mention just a few. A buyer named Robert Taft from Sweden parted with $9,500 to purchase a 15-year-old mare named FUMBLES. She by the way was sired by Super Bowl; I just hope the people back home appreciated the connection. As a testament to the faith horsepeople have in the future, a 16-year-old broodmare sired by Columbia George went to a new home in New Jersey for a mere $110,000.

Who Is It?

These folks were at the sale in Harrisburg in 1989. Can you name them both? (Canadian Sportsman)

This gent was at the 1970 Harrisburg Sale. Can you name him? There was usually lots of cigar smoke at the old sales. (Courtesy of Harrisburg Sale archives)

Stay tuned during the coming week for the correct answers.