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Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait. They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia and New Zealand, races with jockeys riding directly on saddled trotters are also conducted.
In the United States, the Trotting Triple Crown is a series of three major harness races for three-year-old Standardbred trotters. It consists of the Hambletonian, the Yonkers Trot, and the Kentucky Futurity. It was inaugurated in 1955 with the creation of the Yonkers Trot. A horse that wins all three races is designated as a Triple Crown winner and receives the Trotting Triple Crown trophy.
The Cane Pace is a harness horse race for standardbred pacers run annually since 1955. The race was first run as the William H. Cane Futurity in 1955 at Yonkers Raceway in New York. In 1956 the race joined with the Little Brown Jug and the Messenger Stakes to become the first leg in the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.
The Yonkers Trot is a harness racing event for three-year-old Standardbred trotters raced at a distance of one mile at Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York. The race was created in 1955 to join the Hambletonian and the Kentucky Futurity to form the new United States Trotting Triple Crown.
Mohawk Racetrack is a harness racing track in Campbellville, Ontario. It is owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group and is about 40 km southwest of the company's other racetrack, Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Woodbine Mohawk Park also has a large slot machine parlour with over 1,000 slot machines, which is operated by Great Canadian Entertainment; some of the revenue from this operation is used to increase the horseracing purses. Ken Middleton is the longtime track announcer.
Stanley Franklin Dancer was an American harness racing driver and trainer. He was the only horseman to drive and train three Triple Crowns in horse racing. In total, he drove 23 Triple Crown winners. He was the first trainer to campaign a horse to $1 million in a career, Cardigan Bay in 1968, and drove the Harness Horse of the Year seven times. During his career, he won over $28 million and 3,781 races and was called by the United States Trotting Association "perhaps the best-known personality in the sport".
Harness racing, also colloquially known as trotting or the trots, is a spectator sport in Australia, with significant amounts of money wagered annually with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB). In Australia there are 90 harness racing tracks, which hold over 1,900 meetings annually. There are approximately 2,900 drivers and 4,000 trainers with about 5,000 Standardbred horses foaled and registered each year.
The Miracle Mile is an Australian harness racing event for Standardbred pacers that was held at Harold Park Racetrack each November until 2008 when the race was switched to Menangle Park Paceway. Prize money has long been among that of Australia's leading harness races and has often included bonuses for speed.
Harold Park Paceway was a harness racing track in Forest Lodge, New South Wales, in use from 1890 to 2010. It was a half-mile track but was just 739 metres in circumference until some changes in its later years. Races at the track were run over distances of 1,760 m, 2,160 m, 2,565 m and occasionally 2,965 m. Before its configuration, events were run over one mile, 9 furlongs and 170 yards, 11+3⁄4 furlongs, 13 furlongs and 98 yards and 15 furlongs and 92 yards – these distances were all for standing starts. For mobile racing, the distances were one mile, 9+1⁄2 furlongs and 11+1⁄2 furlongs.
The Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, formerly The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, originally (1963) just The Meadows horse-racing track, is a Standardbred harness-racing track and slot-machine casino which is located in North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania, United States, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. After 44 years as a racetrack, the casino was added in 2007. The real estate has been owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties since 2016, with the business operations owned by Penn Entertainment since 2018, including a long term lease agreement to Gaming and Leisure Properties.
The New Zealand Derby is a classic event in New Zealand for 3 year old harness horses, run at Addington Raceway.
The William R. Haughton Memorial Pace is a mile and one-eighth race for Standardbred Free-For-All pacers age four and older run annually at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Trot is a harness racing event for two-year-old Standardbred female trotters. It is one part of the Breeders Crown annual series of twelve races for both Standardbred trotters and pacers. First run in 1984, it is contested over a distance of one mile. Race organizers have awarded the event to various racetracks across North America. The 2017 race will be held at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana, United States.
The Breeders 2YO Filly Trot is a harness racing event for two-year-old Standardbred female trotters. It is one part of the Breeders Crown annual series of twelve races for both Standardbred trotters and pacers. First run in 1985, it is contested over a distance of one mile. Race organizers have awarded the event to various racetracks across North America. The 2017 race will be held at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana, United States.
The Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot is a harness racing event for three-year-old and older Standardbred mare trotters. It is one part of the Breeders Crown annual series of twelve races for both Standardbred trotters and pacers. First run in 1986, it is contested over a distance of one mile. Race organizers have awarded the event to various racetracks across North America. The 2017 race will be held at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana, United States.
Scott Frost (1952-1983) was a United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame Standardbred trotter trained and driven by future Hall of Fame inductee Joe O'Brien. His performances on the racetrack in 1954 saw him voted United States Two-Year-Old Trotter of the Year and in 1955 he became the first winner of the U.S. Trotting Triple Crown series and was voted U.S. Harness Horse of the Year. Racing at age four in 1956, Scott Frost became the first horse to twice win Harness Horse of the Year honors.
The Golden West Trot is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred trotters aged three and older. It was first run in 1946 with a purse of $50,000 which at the time was the richest offered in the sport. The race final was hosted on an alternating basis, until the final running in 1954, by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, and Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding Golden West Pace.
The Golden West Pace is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred pacers aged three and older. It was first run in 1946 with a purse of $50,000 which at the time was the richest offered in the sport. The race final was hosted on an alternating basis, until the final running in 1954, by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, and Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding Golden West Trot.
The American Pacing Classic is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred pacers aged three and older. It was run annually between 1955 and 1981 at three different racetracks with the final hosted by Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding American Trotting Classic.
Joseph Cyril O'Brien was a Harness racing driver, trainer and owner who won the U.S. Trotting Triple Crown in 1955 and would be inducted into both the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, as well as Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Noted for his quiet dignity and diplomacy, he is considered one of the greatest harness horsemen in history.
References
- ↑ Los Angeles Times - June 14, 1990 Retrieved September 19, 2016
- ↑ Sports Illustrated December 5, 1955 article titled "A Roundup of the Week's News", subtitle "Harness Racing" Retrieved September 19, 2016
- ↑ Sports Illustrated November 15, 1954 article titled "A Roundup of the Weeks News" Retrieved September 3, 2016
- ↑ Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame bio for Scott Frost Retrieved September 23, 2016