On this day 30 years ago, Legal Notice etched his name in the annals of harness racing history by winning the first ever North America Cup.
The 1984 edition of the North America Cup was much different than what we saw in June at Mohawk. This race was in heats, at Greenwood Raceway, and on a Monday. That said, many of the top three-year-olds in North America were on hand and vying for the $596,000 prize -- at the time, the richest race in Canada.
A crowd of more than 12,000 were on hand at Greenwood for the 10-race card. The three eliminations for the North America Cup went to Legal Notice and Dr. John Hayes (1:55.4f), Long Fella and Tom Harmer (track record 1:55.1f) and Embrace Me and Herve Filion (1:56.3f).
In the final, the public supported the local horse Legal Notice. Hayes wanted to control the tempo as both Long Fella and Walton Hanover (Harold Dancer) left strongly from the gate. Tucking into the three hole was an option for Hayes, but not the right one.
"When you've got the even money favorite in a $300,000 final, the three hole is for someone else," said Hayes.
Walton Hanover was on top at the quarter in :28.3 with Legal Notice still parked and driving on. He cleared to the lead before the Greenwood toteboard and carved out fractions of :57.4 and 1:27 with Walton Hanover right on his back in the pocket. In the stretch, Dancer pulled Walton Hanover for a stretch rally but Legal Notice remained game with a 1:55.3f score.
"Walton was breathing down my throat all the way. But my horse raced like a real race horse tonight," said Hayes after the win, which was the sixth in six starts for the son of 1972 Little Brown Jug winner Strike Out. Both Strike Out and Legal Notice were owned by John Hayes Sr. The Quarter Century Club and Janet Burns also shared ownership of Legal Notice, who lifted his seasonal bankroll to $329,517 with the win.
Legal Notice's three-year-old campaign ended with $435,253 in earnings and honours as the Ontario Jockey Club's Horse of the Year for 1984.