A very old racing program inspired this week's Rewind and also provided a lot of the information found in it.
In this week's column Robert Smith takes readers on a very long ago trip back to almost 70 years ago when harness racing first started at the Woodbine track. After a rather brief four season stay at Thorncliffe Park in the former Rexdale neighbourhood, Standardbred racing began a very long history at the fabled "downtown" location near Lake Ontario. A portion of today's story involves the 1954 edition of the then popular "Canadian Cup Pace" held that year on August 7th.
In a very early close up shot a field of horses head into the first turn at Old Woodbine. A glimpse of some of the old original buildings appear in the background.
In 1954 summer time harness racing on a major scale in Ontario was just beginning despite the stronghold it enjoyed elsewhere such as in Quebec and in many U.S. locations. A six-week meeting at the already historic Woodbine track was in its first season and was enjoying moderate success. The track was under the management headed up by J.W. "Jim" Brown of New Liskeard, Ont. who served as Raceway Manager. He was the father of Dr. Glen Brown who recently passed away. The track was called simply "Woodbine" at this time and did not become "Old Woodbine" until a few years later when a brand new track was built for thoroughbred racing that was referred to as New Woodbine.
A rather rare old Woodbine Raceway race program from 1954, the year harness racing started at that track. The price was 25 cents. (Program courtesy of Todd Ferguson)
On the afternoon of August 7th a nine-race card was held at Woodbine. The featured races of the day were the sixth and ninth which was the 1954 edition of the "Canadian Cup Pace" the track's signature event for pacers. The same field of horses went two heats to determine a winner in this the fifth renewal of Ontario's then richest race. This was an open event with no age or gender restrictions also known as a "Free For All". The Maple Leaf Trot, the top race of the season for trotters was held a week after this event and was won by the sensational four-year-old Ben Boy. Owned by Mrs. Ruth Wray of Schomberg, Ont. the son of Van Riddell was driven to victory by Keith Waples who also trained the horse.
THE CANADIAN CUP PACE - 1954
In the opening heat of the big race a field of the best eight pacers then available faced the starter Cliff Bradley. With a purse of $6,000 on the line this was Ontario's top paying race. The Canadian Pacing Derby which was still being raced at the Town of New Hamburg offered a purse of $5,000 in 1954 and was won that year by Warpath, the only U.S. owned horse to ever win it at that location.
Pictured above is Egan Grattan, winner of the 1954 Canadian Cup at Woodbine. He was owned, trained and driven by Howard Landers of Clarence, N.Y. He was the youngest horse in the race at the age of four (also Kilts Hanover was four) and was also the only entrant from the U.S. He was favoured to win as shown by the Trackman's selections listed on the program. His season's earnings were the highest in the field, perhaps due to the fact that he had been racing exclusively in the U.S. at Batavia and Buffalo Raceway. I believe he was Canadian-bred at the farm of the aforementioned Jim Brown, the track manager. He may have been originally registered with a "Glendale" name but it was changed by the current owner. Note - this photo was not taken the day of the described race and I believe was from an earlier appearance at Vernon Downs.
The local favourite in the Cup race was Argyel Grattan, Canada's Top performing horse of this era. In the opening heat the Argyel horse went a monster mile and in the process set a new track record of 2:02 2/5 and also established a new personal mark which would also be his lifetime best. His owner Duncan Campbell was in the sulky.
Argyel Grattan is shown with his devoted caretakers, sisters Pat (left) and Margaret Campbell in a 1950's picture from the Campbell family scrapbook.
Final Results - Two Heats
1 - Ruth Chips -- 3 - 4
2 - Argyel Grattan -- 1 - 4
3 - True Spencer -- 6 - 3
4 - High Lee Baldwin -- 4 - 6
5 - States Attorney -- 8 - 9
6 - The Diplomat -- 5 - 7
7 - Kilts Hanover -- 7 - 8
8 - Egan Grattan -- 2 - 1
9 - Malcolm Hanover -- DNF - 2
Previous Winners Of Canadian Cup Pace:
1950 -- Dr. Stanton; Owner, Lindley Fraser; Driver, Lindley Fraser, Raced At Thorncliffe
1951 -- Dr. Stanton; Owner, Lindley Fraser; Driver, Lindley Fraser, Raced At Thorncliffe
1952 -- Prince Adios; Owner, Grant Hodgins; Driver, Clint Hodgins, Raced At Thorncliffe
1953 -- Argyel Grattan; Owner, D.R. Campbell; Driver, Duncan Campbell, Raced At Thorncliffe
List of competing drivers as found in the pictured 1954 program (in alphabetical order) - Pem Caldwell, Sam Calli (U.S.), Duncan Campbell, Frank Carnahan, Tom Dainard, Richard Doan, Marcel Dostie, Keith Feagan, Jack Gordon, Chas. Gollogly, Bill Habkirk, Bill Harvey, Almer Holmes, Wilbert Hopkins, Elmer Hussey, Geo. Johnson, Harold Kaiting, Ken Kerr, Howard Landers (U.S.), Don Larkin, Clarence Lockhart, Vic Lutman, Dick Mallion (U.S.), Jim McIntyre, Hugh McLean, Neil McRann, Jack Mehelenbacher, Alfred Moore, Len Owen, Jack Parker (U.S.), Gordon Ramsay, Fred Roloson, Hon. Earl Rowe, Vic Rowntree, Bill Simmons, Albert Simon (U.S.), Les Slack, Ken Thompson, Wayne Turvey, Harold Varcoe.
Shown above was the Woodbine driver's standings as of August 5th. At season's end, which was about a week later, the Carling trophy awarded to the meet's leading driver was shared by Hugh McLean and Vic Lutman who ended in a tie. Hugh McLean drove a number of his own horses as well as catch driving. In addition to numerous catch drives Vic Lutman scored a number of his wins with members of a rather large and productive stable owned by the new owners J.E. "Ted" Armstrong and his brother Elgin Armstrong of Brampton who had not yet adopted the later famous name of Armbro. They were just starting out.
Note: A future Rewind is planned to cover further results concerning later editions of the Canadian Cup races during the 1950's.
Quote For The Week: "If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours." From Dolly Parton
Who Is It?
The above pictured couple from southern Ontario owned a rather famous horse during the mid 1950's that was an entrant on the undercard of the race day described above. Their stable star set a record for a Canadian-sired gelding and accomplished the feat at Vernon Downs in 1955. Can you name the horse and the pictured owners? This fellow drove on occasion and owned several horses during this era. (Photo courtesy of Elgin County Archives)
Who Else Is It?
This man was among the competing drivers on the August 7th race day but did not have an entrant in the Canadian Cup race. He did win a few driving titles in later years at the Woodbine track. Can you name him?
Who else is it? It is Jack…
Who else is it? It is Jack Gordon, father of Garth Gordon.
This week's pictures
The correct answers for this week's pictures were as follows:
The "Who is it ?" photo so far went unidentified. Pictured was Mr. and Mrs. Al Leverington of St. Thomas, Ont. They owned a horse named Carter Chips who set a new record in 1955 for a Canadian bred gelding pacer when he recorded a mile in an even 2:00 at the then very new Vernon Downs. This was a major event and preceded Canada's first sub 2:00 mile by four years . The Vernon 3/4 mile track where horses started from a chute, produced many fast miles back then. The times then considered "fast" would not be today. The caption in the local paper read "Mr. and Mrs. Al Leverington, of 397 Talbot St., won the Goldberg Trophy due to the recent victory of their horse Carter Chips, "the fastest pacing gelding ever bred in and raced out of Canada." Later that fall he made his only start of the year in Canada at the Norfolk County Fair in Simcoe and won both heats, a little slower around 2:10 . Interesting to note was that among his competition in the top classes at Vernon was another Canadian speedster Mighty Cox driven by Barney Hughes.
Who else is it? Jack Gordon of Cobourg Ont. ( or more specifically Cold Springs ) was the driver receiving a trophy from a sales rep. for Carlings Brewery who sponsored drivers awards for many years.
Who else is it .
Looks like Hugh Mc Lean who left us in 1974 .