SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1960s

In this week's Rewind Robert Smith presents the monthly feature "Years Ago" in which he recalls a few names, events and highlights from a certain decade.  This month his short stories and old photos relate back to the decade of the 1960's.  It was a time of tremendous growth in the sport, particularly in Canada where interest in harness racing was at an all time high.  

1960 - The First Gold Cup & Saucer Race Held 

A view of the Charlottetown Driving Park in the very early years.  Fans crowd the track to view the finish of a race.

In 1960 the first ever Gold Cup & Saucer race was held at the Charlottetown Driving Park and it soon became a favourite of Maritime fans and well beyond.  The inaugural winner was the roan Dees Boy,  a horse that raced with distinction for many years in Atlantic Canada.  In the years between 1960 and 1971,  three horses were repeat winners of this event and forever etched their names in area history.  

Inaugural winner Dees Boy was again a winner in the third renewal but with a different driver (see below).  Andys Son captured the event in back-to-back years 1965 and 1966, both times with James Moore in the sulky.  In 1969 and 1970 Firebolt was the winner and Art Porter was the pilot on both occasions.  In 1971 Andys Son with Elmore White driving became the only three-time winner in the race's now long history.  

After nearly 65 years while many once popular races and racetracks have faded away the Cup & Saucer Race seems to gain momentum year after year. 

1961 - Richelieu Park Announces Fan Appreciation Night 

Ad from Montreal Gazette 

On the evening of Thursday, August 3, 1961 track management at Richelieu presented a special "gift" to Montreal race fans as they offered a Free Admission card of racing.  As a thank you to the many patrons who had been in attendance throughout the current meeting everyone was granted a free pass.  An invitation published in the Montreal Gazette stated "All harness racing patrons will have the run of the grandstands and the clubhouse without charge."

Track handicapper Bill Slack was also offering "free advice" to the audience expected to be larger than usual for a Thursday night.  His advice was "keep your eye on numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4."  According to his figures, since the opening of the current meeting at Richelieu, in 838 races 531 were won by these four post positions.  They were as follows: #1 - 160, #2 - 134, #3 - 113, #4 - 124.  

Richelieu Park Marquee as it appeared in the 1950's 

1963 - Wes Coke Wins National Dash Winning Title 

In 1963 a young driver in just his third full year of driving, 20-year-old Wes Coke set a record as he was Canada's youngest leading dash winning driver.  The title was previously held by Ronnie Feagan who was one year older than Wes when he won the award.   The youngster from Petrolia perhaps had a bit of a head start on today's drivers who cannot start driving until the age of 18.  His first start was at his hometown track at the 1960 fair races.  He did not win in his debut but fairly soon after he scored his maiden victory at Connaught Park. 

Wes went on to a long and successful career as an owner, trainer and driver and in later years served as a judge for a number of years.  He passed away in 2022. 

Wes is shown with one of the many awards he earned during his long driving  career 

1964 - Another Dancer In The Game 

The following item was taken from a New York Times article published in March 3, 1964 edition.

Jim Dancer Set To Be 5th Driver In Racing Family 

Harness racing's first family of drivers - the Dancers soon will have another reinsman in the clan. James Dancer, 21 years old, the son of the only non-driving Dancer brother, Charles is hard at work preparing for his new career, his uncle Vernon Dancer disclosed today at Roosevelt Raceway. Jim will be the fifth Dancer on the nation's harness racetracks. The others are Stanley, Vernon, Harold Sr. and Harold Jr.  Charles Dancer, Jim's father, drives a bus in New Jersey and isn't interested in steering standardbreds. Jim has been grooming horses for Vernon on his New Egypt, N.J. farm.  He has progressed to the point where his uncle will let him handle some of his stock in qualifying races in the next couple of months at Roosevelt.

The newest of the driving Dancers gave up a high paying job making parts for missiles in Hightstown, N.J. in order to work for Vernon. "I couldn't pay him anywhere near what they were paying him at that missile place," said Vernon. "However he insisted on coming to work for me so I took him on."

Note - I was surprised to hear of another Dancer brother and also I have no idea how this adventure turned out.  

1969 - Wellwood Stable On The Rise 

After opening his own public stable just three years prior to this season, 29-year-old Bill Wellwood soon began a steady rise in his track accomplishments and the resulting success of his growing stable. At season's end he stood third in both dashes won with 165  and stable earnings of over $276,000.  The seasons that followed continued to see improvement. 

His reasons for success were shared by a number of different performers, among them the eight-year-old Scion Grattan who scored a total of 10 wins during the 1969 campaign.  In 33 starts he finished in the top three spots 20 times and took a new lifetime best of 2:03.4 while banking $16,581.   This horse was owned by Robert and Audrey McKinley of Zurich, Ont., where Bob operated a large poultry operation and was also an elected Member Of Parliament for the riding of Huron-Bruce County.  The McKinleys loved to be in attendance on race nights when their star performer was in action.  

Note - Mr. McKinley passed away in 2022 at the age of 94.  Sadly William left us way too soon in 2003. 

Another successful stable member from that '69 season is shown in the photo below. 

Owner "Wib" White of St. Marys, Ont. accepts a trophy and a cooler following a win by Tigalus in the $9,500 Valedictory Pace before the meeting's largest crowd of 6,062 fans. Presenting the silverware is Miss Helen Hall while driver Bill Wellwood looks on. This six-year-old was a seven-time winner that year and took a new mark of 2:02.4 with $21,496 added to a lifetime total of over $42,000.  

Quote For The Week: "Men are awesome,  but....easy to figure out; women are way more complicated and way more interesting." -- Judy Greer, actress. 

Who Is It? 

Can you name the driver in this winner's circle photo following a Cup & Saucer victory with Dees Boy? 

Who Else Is It?

Can you identify the young fellow in the above photo? Let us know who you think it is.   

Blast From The Past 

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Can you name these three fellows? Absolutely NO clues being offered.