American Trotting Classic

Last updated
American Trotting Classic
ClassDiscontinued race
Location Inglewood, California
Inaugurated1955
Race type Harness race for Standardbred trotters
Websitedistance = 1 1/8 miles
(1,810 metres or 9 furlongs)
Race information
SurfaceDirt, 1 mile oval
Track Hollywood Park Racetrack
Qualification3 years & older
Purse$100,000 (1981)

The American Trotting Classic at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred trotters aged three and older. It was run annually between 1955 and 1981 at three different racetracks with the final hosted by Hollywood Park Racetrack. [1] During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding American Pacing Classic. [2]

Contents

The race was run at a distance of one mile from 1955 through 1960, after which it was run at a mile and an eighth.

The American Trotting Classic replaced the Golden West Trot which had been contested from 1946 through 1954 under the auspices of the Western Harness Racing Association at both Santa Anita Park and at Hollywood Park. [3]

Historical race events

In 1955, Scott Frost capped off a brilliant season of racing when he took the first of his consecutive wins in the American Trotting Classic, and in both 1955 and 1956 he was voted Harness Horse of the Year. Earlier in 1955, Scott Frost had become the first horse to win the U.S. Trotting Triple Crown. [4]

In addition to back-to-back wins by Scott Frost in 1955 and 1956 and Savoir in 1974 and 1975, two other horses have also won the race twice. Fresh Yankee accomplished the feat in 1969 and again in 1971, plus Dayan in 1970 and 1972.

Hall of Fame driver/trainer Joe O'Brien won the American Trotting Classic six times, which was the most by any trainer as well as by any driver. In addition, O'Brien drove to victory in the American Pacing Classic a record four times.

Records

Most wins by a driver
Most wins by a trainer
Stakes record

Winners of the American Trotting Classic

Year
Winner
Age
Driver
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
1981Dante Jay7Etienne S. DesomerRobin ClementsDesomer Stable1 1/8 m2:12 2/5$123,500
1980 Classical Way 4 John F. Simpson, Jr. John F. Simpson, Jr. Clarence F. Gaines 1 1/8 m2:11 3/5$94,000
1979Jurgy Hanover5 Peter Haughton Billy HaughtonKosmos Horse Breeders, Inc.1 1/8 m2:12 3/5$92,000
1978 Keystone Pioneer 6 Billy Haughton Billy HaughtonDorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner1 1/8 m2:15 2/5$100,800
1977 Ima Lula 4 Joe O'Brien Joe O'BrienDuncan A. MacDonald1 1/8 m2:13 4/5$100,750
1976Keystone Pioneer4Billy HaughtonBilly HaughtonDorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner1 1/8 m2:12 3/5$109,800
1975 Savoir 7James D. DennisMel SmorraAllwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck)1 1/8 m2:14 1/5$104,900
1974Savoir6James D. DennisMel SmorraAllwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck)1 1/8 m2:13 3/5$109,550
1973 Elesnar 5Percy RobillardPercy RobillardArgyle Farms (George Henderson)1 1/8 m2:16 0/0$100,000
1972 Dayan 6William MyerWilliam MyerAdonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein)1 1/8 m2:19 4/5$100,000
1971 Fresh Yankee 8Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien Duncan A. MacDonald 1 1/8 m2:20 4/5$100,000
1970Dayan4William MyerWilliam MyerAdonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein)1 1/8 m2:13 2/5$100,000
1969Fresh Yankee6Joe O'BrienJoe O'BrienDuncan A. MacDonald1 1/8 m2:15 0/0$100,000
1968Lady B Fast4William PopfingerWilliam PopfingerButtonwood Tree Farm1 1/8 m2:15 2/5$75,000
1967Grandpa Jim5 Robert G. Farrington Robert G. FarringtonJim & Marie Trainor1 1/8 m2:13 4/5$60,000
1966Earl Laird6Robert J. Williams, Sr. Jimmy Cruise Joan Cruise1 1/8 m2:13 2/5$50,000
1965 Armbro Flight 3Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien Armstrong Bros. 1 1/8 m2:15 3/5$50,000
1964Marco Hanover5 Richard J. Buxton Richard J. BuxtonGarrett S. Claypool1 1/8 m2:14 0/0$50,000
1963 Porterhouse 5 Earle Avery Earle Avery Norman S. Woolworth 1 1/8 m2:15 0/0$50,000
1962 Duke Rodney 4Billy HaughtonEdward T. WheelerPatrick & Elisabeth DiGennaro1 1/8 m2:15 2/5$50,000
1961Air Record5 George Sholty George SholtyGeorge Sholty & Faye Ross1 1/8 m2:17 2/5$80,000
1960Silver Song5Howard B. CamdenHoward B. CamdenMercury Stable Farm, Inc.1 mile2:01 3/5$85,000
1959Senator Frost4Richard J. BuxtonRichard J. BuxtonWayne Galvin1 mile1:57 3/5$85,000
1958Charming Barbara4Billy HaughtonBilly HaughtonJohn Froehlich1 mile2:00 1/5$75,000
1957 Galophone 5Robert WalkerRobert WalkerWilliam T. Maybury1 mile2:00 4/5$75,000
1956 Scott Frost 4Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien S. A. Camp Farms 1 mile1:58 3/5$75,000
1955Scott Frost3Joe O'BrienJoe O'BrienS. A. Camp Farms1 mile1:59 3/5$75,000

References