I am interested in learning more about harness racing as it is today. I love watching it and I wish the Triple Crown races were shown on TV the way the flat racing one is along with all the other TB races. I really miss the old NY cable channel that showed racing on TV at night.
The very little I know about harness racing came from books like Walter Farley’s two about Bonfire, Born to Trot, and Stephen Meader’s books about Bud and Cedar and Cedar’s Boy. And I know those are OLD. (But I love them.)
Are there any good new books about harness racing? Fiction or NF? I would love to know more about the Hambletonian, why it was moved from Goodtime Park, about heats in racing, and if there are any places left that have county or state fairs with harness races.
I love watching pacers, but trotters are cool too!
The Hambo was moved because of differences of opinion between Good Time and the USTA, and it remained in DuQuoin until 1981 when it moved to The Meadowlands. That race was won by Shiaway St Pat, trained and driven Ray Remmen…I remember that particularly because we were all jammed into the drivers room in Edmonton to watch Ray. This race is still done in heats, with a certain number going from each heat to the final, held on the same day.
As a whole, the main differences between long ago and now are better equipment, better tracks and more refined breeding practices. Many rules have remained unchanged for decades with only concessions made to them due to advancements in technology and those are mostly in the areas of betting and starting although some concessions have been made for improved equipment and some equipment has been banned - certain types of race bikes come to mind.
I can’t answer any questions for you, but I’m definitely going to follow this thread. I just started working this summer at Running Aces in MN in the detention barn, and I’m completely out of my element. LOL. I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can though! I know a lot about TB racing so that’s helped a tiny bit.
New York still has county fair racing. 7/21 there will be races at Hemlock and Lowville (Lewis County Fair). The week after there are races at Boonville (Oneida County Fair), Dunkirk, and Plattsburgh. There are also 6 fair race dates in August. There used a short meet at the Syracuse State Fairgrounds, but it looks like those dates and races, including the Zweig Memorial are now being held at Vernon Downs or Tioga Downs.
Harness racing has two triple crowns, one for trotters and one for pacers.
The Trotter triple crown races are the Hambletonian, Yonkers Trot, and the Kentucky Futurity. The last horse to win the crown was Glidemaster in 2006.
The Pacer triple crown races are the Cane Pace, Little Brown Jug and Messenger Stakes. The last horse to win was No Pan Intendend in 2003.
Both the Hambletonian and Cane Pace will be August 8th this year at The Meadowlands.
The USTA, http://www.ustrotting.com/ is the place to find just about anything you want to know about harness racing.
Are there any good new books about harness racing? Fiction or NF? [/QUOTE]
There are two superb books (1st and 2d edition) that you will enjoy that were published by the Untied States Trotting Assoc.
The Care and Training of the Trotter and Pacer.
1st Ed., published in 1969 (available on eBay and other used bookstores; as little as $10), although much of the techniques and references have changed the topics are fairly similar to the newer edition. This edition offers more detail and provides more supporting images.
2d Ed., still available from the USTA.
Additionally, there are horses of books (depending upon the focus of your interest).
Another good older book (multiple editions) is Phil Pines, ‘The Complete Bookk of Harness Racing’.
[QUOTE=sk_pacer;8231073]I’m one of the few.
The Hambo was moved because of differences of opinion between Good Time and the USTA, . . .
Will answer what I can for you[/QUOTE]
Close but no cigar
Fairly positive I’ve explained this previously?
Although the USTA supports the Hambletonian race, there is no direct affiliation.
Today the Hambletonian Society, and beyond same race manages the sustaing payments for an approximate one-hundred stake races.
Good Time Park was owned by Bill Cane, whom died in 1956.
He had already secured the Hambletonian contract for the next two years.
The State of NY and it’s racing orgs (along with the NY Racing Commission) were full of controversy at that time.
The Hambletonian Society did NOT wish to take a change that the state of NY could somehow muster control of the future of the Hambletonian Race absent the integrity and devotion that Bill Cane provided, thus the race was moved to DuQuoin.
Despite existing contracts, the Society takes annual bids on each years location, as has been their tradition.
Harness Racing at local fairs (and fairgrounds has been rapidly disappearing for decades. The amount of property (and expenses) required to accommodate harness racing balanced against the empty seats in the large grandstands (due to declining lack of interest in rural-amercia-agriculture) is easily discarded due to budget constraints.
My home state (Mich) is one example. A decade ago Mich had more than 30-fairs with harness racing. During 2014 there were just 13.
Harness Racing at the fairs (absent pari-mutuel-wagering) offers the general public nearly full access to the barns, horses and horsemen. The result is a mingling of the people that newcomers genuinely enjoy (as do the horsemen).
Children are especially welcomed, and their presence is one of the primary reason for the existence of the fairs.
OP, I don’t know where you are located, but there is still county fair harness racing in Maine also. There is a summer fair circuit, culminating with the Fryeburg Fair - I think usually around Labor Day or so.
If you are interested in the history of harness racing you might enjoy the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY. Around July 4 every year they hold stakes races at the Goshen track (Historic Track) it is adjacent to the Museum. So you could visit the Museum and see live racing on the same day, that is fun! I believe in late June they also hold some NY sire stakes races at Goshen too.
Another one here. Grew up in it, and raced on the PA fair circuit. Most of my friends are still back there doing that, and at least once a week, I say I’m going to head back there and get back into it. Haven’t yet though. They still have snow. lol!
The Winning Colt by Louise Lee Floethe was one of the very first harness racing books I ever read, and it deals with a young grand circuit trotter that is retrained into a jumper.
Patricia Harrison Easton was a local author who wrote some children’s and young adult books about the sport. Stable Girl, Summer’s Chance, and Rebel’s Choice are the three that specifically come to mind, but I believe she also did one called “A week at the fair”
The Hambo was this past weekend, and it was pretty fun this year! There was a filly in there racing against the boys.
The Hambo was this past weekend, and it was pretty fun this year! There was a filly in there racing against the boys. :-)[/QUOTE]
And a special one, indeed. Perhaps the first Standardbred in recent years to make this Thoroughbred person sit up and take notice, when she was just two.
I worked at a training/breeding farm in my 20s. I’ve had two standardbreds as riding horses. I’ve just started showing my current one, who raced as a pacer until she was 7. I’m not positive, but she may be the only full standardbred ever to be approved as a Canadian Sport Horse mare.
Neat come back story in Il this year. King Mufasa is back racing and winning after what was thought to be at the very least a career ending injury from a catastrophic trailer accident in Indiana.
We have a fair circuit in IL with one fair- Brown County offering parimutuel.
[QUOTE=STB Tissa;8233408]
New York still has county fair racing. 7/21 there will be races at Hemlock and Lowville (Lewis County Fair). The week after there are races at Boonville (Oneida County Fair), Dunkirk, and Plattsburgh. There are also 6 fair race dates in August. There used a short meet at the Syracuse State Fairgrounds, but it looks like those dates and races, including the Zweig Memorial are now being held at Vernon Downs or Tioga Downs.[/QUOTE]
I would say 90% of the mares we foal out are Standardbred. What I find frustrating is unless you have a paid account with the USTA there is no way to search pedigrees or race records. We always have a handful of foals that we would love to follow but without something like Equibase or Pedigree Query it’s next to impossible.
[QUOTE=sprite;8284926]
Il state fair also has parimutuel :)[/QUOTE]
True True! LOL I didn’t consider Il State Fair or DuQuoin State Fairs to be a fair circuit though…but technically they are! I was thinking half mile tracks and county fairs not Grand Circuit races.
