This week's Rewind is another monthly edition of Years Ago, this time centered on the decade of the 1970s and a few of the events and people involved back then. This was a prosperous time in the history of harness racing across the globe. Robert Smith has assembled a few old stories and pictures depicting the times.
1971 - 55 Years Ago – The Week of Oct. 3-9, 1971 at Garden City Raceway
The Jockey Club horsemen were racing at Garden City Raceway in St. Catharines, Ont., at this time. A few of the week's highlights are listed below:
- The first race of the week was won by Knee Boots in 2:05 for driver Carman Hie.
- The fastest pacing mile of the week was 2:03, turned in by the four-year-old Linworth Brat for veteran driver Harold Wellwood, also the horse's owner and trainer.
- The fastest trotting miles of 2:05.2 were turned in by Smokeway Lad (Keith Waples) and Claybrook Van (Jerry Duford).
- A two-year-old Early Closing Trot for the week's highest purse, $9,675, went to Dnalel Blue, driven by Neil Curran for the J.C. Cameron stable of Smiths Falls.
- The Preferred Pace for $4,000 was won by Romeo Lee (Gary Feagan).
- Winning drivers of the week included Doug Arthur, Tom Artandi, Norm Bayne, Ron Bosada, Bill Carroll, Neil Curran, Ross Curran, Brent Davies, Alex Duncan, Jerry Duford, Gary Feagan, Ron Feagan, Russ Furness, Marcel Hebert, G. Mac Galbraith, Laurence Giesel, Stan Henderson, Carman Hie, Robin James Murphy, Jim Muttart, Don Pierce, Ron Pestell, Percy Robillard, Bob Silliphant, Tom Strauss, Rodger Toth, George Wain, Larry Walker, Ron Waples Sr., Keith Waples, Wm. Wellwood, Harold Wellwood Sr., and Nelson White.
Note: Be sure to see the picture in the Quiz section shown below.
1972 - Racing at Northlands Park in Edmonton
A view of the Northlands Park tote board
Forty years ago, in 1972, harness racing at Northlands Park in Edmonton was a pretty popular pastime, with the season opener held on August 18 and continuing through closing day on October 16. A number of Western Canadian drivers enjoyed outstanding seasons.
Among the leaders were Steve Schedlosky, Ray Remmen, Ed Tracey, John Baxter, Ken Flaro and Don Monkman, to name just a few. In later years, Ray Remmen went on to worldwide fame and eventual induction into several Halls of Fame in both Canada and the U.S., as well as winning the 1981 Hambletonian. I was fortunate enough, back around 1970, to meet Ray.
Undoubtedly the best horse on the grounds was the amazing Smoky Affair, a six-year-old gelded son of Smoky Cloud owned by Pat Brennan of Squamish, B.C. This horse suddenly vaulted into prominence during 1972 after earning a paltry $3,200 lifetime coming into that season. Driven at times by his owner and also by Ray Remmen, he pretty much met and defeated all comers throughout the year.
After emerging from virtual obscurity at the beginning of the season, he went on to take a new lifetime mark of 2:03.1 late in the fall at Windsor with Ray Remmen aboard. The signature event of the 1972 Northlands season was the Western Canada Derby for a purse of $17,455, won by the three-year-old Eyrego Express, handled by Ray Remmen for Eleanor Richaud of Forestburg, Alta.
A number of Ontario-based horsemen were prominent in the drivers' standings at Edmonton during the entire nine-plus-week season. A few among the Ontario contingent were Ellis Dell, Vern Soper, Fred Roloson, Paul Coulter and Leonard Bain. A couple of consistent winners for Ellis Dell were Dustymite Win and Miss Shinola.
Another driver who made the long trek westward from Ontario and had a pretty productive meeting, scoring victories every week, was Bev Heywood. The 36-year-old teamster from the London area, who had been involved in the sport for over 15 years by this point, visited the winner's circle with a wide variety of horses. Unofficially, he may have visited the winner's circle with more different horses than any other driver.
Among his winners was Yankee Bee Bee, a horse that Jack Darling recalls being the first horse he ever claimed. I think I heard that Bev may have celebrated a milestone birthday fairly recently. Not sure of the number, but he must be at least 50 by now!
1977 - Soul Food Provides Owner With Milestone Win as a Breeder
Soul Food scores an impressive win for owner Dr. John McKnight and driver-trainer Ron Waples in the General Brock three-year-old trotting stake. The winning time was 2:05.2, with Armbro Sonnet (3) (Joe O'Brien) shown finishing second.
On Saturday, May 21, 1977, Dr. John McKnight, a young veterinarian, experienced a special moment with his homebred filly Soul Food. Dr. John, who worked for the Armstrong Bros. of Brampton, also enjoyed breeding and raising a few youngsters on his own. On this day, he experienced a first when the filly that he owned and bred won a division of the General Brock Trotting Stake at Greenwood. The purse that day was $9,275 (about $46,800 in today's dollars).
The filly by Speedy Crown was making just her fifth lifetime appearance on the track. Unraced at two, she was off to an impressive start, having been in this same winner's circle the previous week following a conditioned-event victory.
Trained and driven by Ron Waples, the miss was a winner by more than two lengths over Armbro Sonnet, owned by the Armstrong Brothers. In town to do the driving was none other than Joe O'Brien. This filly was a winner of $101,000 as a three-year-old; very impressive indeed.
In the other division, the winner was another Speedy Crown filly, Norah Lobell, handled by Tom Strauss for Toronto owner Archie Sopman. Like Soul Food, she too experienced her first stakes victory.
1977 - Memories From Canada's Most Southerly Track – Leamington, Ontario
I recently came upon this vintage Leamington program from 1977... OPENING DAY almost 49 years ago!!
A few of the drivers in action that day (in alphabetical order):
Marty Adler, Hector Armstrong, Ken Bogart, Richard Carroll, Norm Desserault, Rod Duford, Pete Dupuis, Larry Eaid, Bryce Fenn, Chuck Fraleigh, Lyle Grineage, Bill Hamm, Norm Harrison, Wm. Holden, Earl Hyatt, Rick Kennedy, Albert List, Gordon Mairs, Dennis McFadden, Ted McFadden, Lonnie McCorkle, Geo. McKenzie, Lorne McKenzie, Doug McIntosh, Norm McKnight, Dick Mitchell, Jack Rich, Ross Roselle, Ross Siddall, Lazlo Simon, Walter Srigley, Dean Stevens, Vaughn Webster and Dale Williams.
Shown above is a very old photo from Leamington, taken in 1917.
Quote For The Week: "When thunder roars, go indoors." - A phrase used by weather forecasters as a warning about current conditions.
Who Is It?
This great photo appeared in a 1972 issue of The Canadian Sportsman. The winner's circle scene was at the then-popular Garden City track in St. Catharines, Ont. Doug Austin, sports editor of the Niagara Falls Review, is on the far left making a presentation to the young daughter of the winning owners. The couple on the far right, along with their daughter, were not identified in the original. How many of the others can you figure out?
Who Else Is It?
Can you correctly identify this fellow? He could be found visiting almost any part of the globe.
Where Was It?
Can you identify the location of this once-popular track that thrived during the 1970s? It's no longer there, but it is fondly remembered by many.
Trivia Question
Listed above in the 1977 item was a lengthy list of drivers competing at Leamington Raceway. Almost 50 years later, one fellow on that list is still stabled there. Who is that "Marathon Man"?