SC Rewind: Bob Lee Wins The 1940 Canadian Pacing Derby

In this week's edition of 'Rewind' Robert Smith delves deep into the archives to recall a great race day from 84 years ago.  His story is a recap of the 1940 Canadian Pacing Derby held at the small Ontario town of New Hamburg. He also recalls the contributions of the late Mr. W.J. Hyatt, owner of Bob Lee that year's Derby winner,  and his influence on the growth of Canadian harness racing. 

Thanks to a very yellowed copy of the beloved Canadian Sportsman racing journal dated August 19, 1940, I am able to provide some detail of that year's Canadian Pacing Derby.  That year the Canadian Pacing Derby entered its second decade of competition with the inaugural held in 1936.  This annual race, which carried one of the largest purses of the racing season, had already become Ontario's top race for aged performers.  The 1940 edition was just the fifth in its then short history. A win in this race was becoming quite an accomplishment and people were anxious to have a horse good enough to compete. 

In the earlier days of harness racing reporting the Canadian Sportsman did a great job of delivering the news from all across the country.  One thing they did not do too often was include photographs.  In the old issue I am citing today there were several.  I think it was a further indication of just how big a day the Derby was. 

A FEW ITEMS GLEANED FROM THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN ISSUE OF AUGUST 19, 1940 

• The 1940 Canadian Pacing Derby attracted a crowd of 7- 8,000 people at New Hamburg, Ontario's Fountain Park according to the race coverage.  The presentation photo caption stated the crowd at 9,000 
• Purse for the three-heat event was $1,500 (Converted to 2024 dollars this was approx. $30,600) 
• Three horses each won a heat (see summary below).  Based on the best standing of 2-2-1 Bob Lee was declared the winner 
• The fastest mile of the day was 2:08 3/4 recorded by the Derby winner Bob Lee 
• Eleven horses contested the event, two were drawn in the third heat 
• The Futurity Trial for three-year-old pacers was won in three straight heats by Pine Ridge Alex, owned by Pine Ridge Stables London and driven by 41-year-old Bill Herbert. Purse was $500. Fastest heat was 2:14.  This horse went on to win the 1943 Derby. 
• Twelve heats of racing were held with purses totalling $2,600.  One race was for trotters. 
• Popular and familiar names of the drivers included Lew James,  Cyril Morrissey, Harold Wellwood,  Barney Hughes, Morrie McDonald,  Cliff Chapman Sr., Dick Scott, Harold Berry, Wilmer Hillock, Vic Rowntree,  Bill Harvey,  Jules Giguere,  Billy Lawson, Bill Fraser 
• Canadian Sportsman subscription price was $2.50 per year in advance at this time. 

Bob Lee Wins 1940 Canadian Pacing Derby At New Hamburg 

Caption read - W.J. Hyatt of London (left) looks quite pleased as he accepts a handsome trophy from Earl Katzmeier of New Hamburg after his outstanding four-year-old horse, Bob Lee won the fifth annual Canadian Pacing Derby before a crowd of some 9,000 people at New Hamburg. 

The owner of the previous year's race, if able to attend, usually presented a trophy to the current year's winner.  In this instance the owner of Dillon M, the 1939 race Dr. Meldrum a medical doctor from Norwich, Ont. was absent so the race day organizer performed the honour. 

Bob Lee, winner of the 1940 Canadian Pacing Derby is shown above with driver Barney Hughes.  Descendants of this gentleman are still involved in today's racing scene.  The great trotter San Pail was trained and co-owned by his grandson and great grandson. 

Several important races were also held on Derby Day each year.  The above photo shows Mr. F.S. Scott of Galt, Ont. who was the President of the C.T.A. making a presentation to owner driver Harry Biggar, owner of the trotting colt Mr. Van.  He was a winner of all three heats of his race that day.  Mr. Van went on to become a fine race horse and later sired many trotters of note including Van Riddell, the first Canadian-sired and owned horse to race in the famed Hambletonian.  

Above is the race summary of the 1940 Derby.  The entire field of 11 horses all started on the half-mile oval at New Hamburg's Fountain Park racetrack.  As a note of interest, one of the entrants Rip Harvester who finished well out of the money,  later that season won the first ever race held at the newly opened Batavia Downs.  

MORE ABOUT MR. W.J. HYATT 

While time may have all but removed his memory Mr. Hyatt was an influential figure in his day.  He owned a number of successful horses during his time in the sport,  many were raised by him and often named with the HY suffix.  Perhaps his largest contribution to the betterment of racing was his efforts in establishing a very well known and long lasting series of colt races. 

In 1944 his work in starting the Supertest Stakes Series came into fruition.  This series of colt races for both trotters and pacers,  colts and fillies,  gave horse breeders and those who wished to race two- and three-year-old colts another opportunity.  The Supertest Stakes sponsored by a London-based petroleum company, lasted for many years.  It was very popular and well run right up to about the time the O.S.S. series came into being. 

A few years after this in 1948 Mr. Hyatt passed away before he could see how well the sport had progressed thanks in part to his efforts and encouragement.  Many years ago I had a lengthy visit with Mr. Hyatt's grandson Thomas Lowther.  He joyfully recalled being in attendance at the 1940 Derby day races and how proud he was as an eight-year-old boy to share in seeing his grandfather's horse win this big race.  

In 2011 Mr. Hyatt was enshrined in the Hall Of Fame in the builder's category.  An excerpt from his bio reads as follows: 

"Soon after watching a pacing colt by the name of Bob Lee set a Canadian record for two-year-olds at the Strathroy Fair, Hyatt offered then owner Nate Neely of Petrolia $1,000 for the horse. Neely accepted the deal and the roan went on to become the centerpiece of Hyatt’s racing and breeding enterprise.

"Following Bob Lee’s extraordinary racing career, Hyatt retired him to stud at his 700-acre picturesque farm near Thorndale, Ont. named Bob Lee Farm.  Hyatt’s showplace of harness racing featured top mares and an impeccable training facility that he generously opened to the public and to other horsemen for training."

Quote For The Week: This week's quote takes on a slightly different dimension as it also includes a quiz aspect. 

"Most horses are smarter than the people driving them; and that includes me." 

Who said that?  Let us know who you think it is.  It's possible that more than one person may have said that but in this instance the correct answer is the person I heard it from.  Clue: He is widely known and well known and still very much with us! 

Who Is It?  

Can you identify these two chaps?  I can only guess that they might be mapping out some strategy for an upcoming race. Just a guess. 

Who Else Is It?  

Can you identify this gentleman?  Maybe a little bit of photographic work is evident. 

Blast From The Past 

Shown above is a photo taken at the Leamington Fair races in 1917 with the old wooden grandstand in the background.  This year's harness racing program started last week on this very site.  There has been a half-mile track in this southern Ontario town's fairgrounds for a very long time.  The track shown above was removed in 1954 to make room for the town's first arena and a new oval was built in its place a short distance away on the same property.  It is still in use to this day.