John Berry: Odds and ends from the email bag

With the Stakes season winding down, just a few main harness racing occasions sooner or later stay to wrap up an unimaginable 12 months.
The “important attraction” occasions to shut out the season are at The Meadowlands within the Governor’s Cup, Valley Victory, Three Diamonds and Goldsmith Maid for the two-year-olds nonetheless going, and the quartet of Fan Duel occasions—all as we close-out November.
Dover Downs performs host to the wealthy Progress Tempo ultimate for three-year-old pacers. It’s an“Open” occasion, too.
There are a number of others, as properly, for the sophomores at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and, by then, any questions on USHWA voting ought to be cleared up…not less than a bit “bit.”
That offers Mane Attraction a while to answer the “e-mail bag” to reply the numerous questions and feedback that arrive—no postage needed.
QUESTION: “I get pleasure from your columns, and I really like the ‘Insider’ and your historical past column. I see that some 15-year-olds have gained this 12 months within the beginner races and, this may be a foolish query, however has there ever been a 15-year-old thoroughbred to win a race?”
ANSWER: I don’t know that a lot about thoroughbred racing—in fact, I’m going again to the good days of Kelso within the 1960’s—and I’ve solely referred to as 30 thoroughbred races—however I do know of 1 that raced in Chicago at Sportsman’s Park by the identify of Maxwell G…and he did win as a 15-year-old.
In checking issues up, Maxwell G/ gained on the “in-town” monitor on opening day in 1976—March 15—and he gained by six lengths.
“Maxie” was foaled April 10, 1961, and raced from 1965 to 1977. He gained as a 16-year-old, too, He had 47 wins throughout his profession and gained a “bit” over $180,000.
Whereas that’s outstanding, our rugged standardbred breed additionally has sturdy blood traces as a number of 15-year-olds gained this 12 months in beginner occasions at The Meadowlands—one as quick as 1:52 and alter! (Sure, our standardbreds can race in beginner occasions at 15.)
After all, turning again the clock a “bit,” we’ve had standardbreds that raced whereas properly into their late-teens and twenties.
Lord Sherbrooke raced at age 20 again within the early 1950’s (earlier than the 14–15-year-old rule went into impact) and he gained 5 races in 26 begins and had a 5-4-7 scorecard in 26 begins.
He even raced towards his five-year-old son in a single race—AND BEAT HIM—he completed second and his son fifth.
Different profitable winners at age 20 in that period have been Sharkey Bellini, Man Volo, Doc B Grattan, Dizzy Dean and the mare Highland Princess.
Man Volo, actually, began a tremendous 73 occasions as a 20-year-old and gained 13 occasions and was 1-2-3 in 41 begins. (When you’re questioning about his earnings, they have been $1,540.26…a mean of about $21.10 per begin.
The 21-year-old Jackie, who had a mark of two:08 as a six-year-old, made 48 begins after reaching “ingesting age” however couldn’t fairly win that semester—her finest second place on eight events.
Ada Image was 23 years previous and raced a number of occasions and Baldwin was 24-years-of age…incomes $5.00.
One different observe to shut this section, sturdiness may also be measured on “begins” per season and the seven-year-old Tonymite and the 14-year-old Tru Single G prime examples. t
Tonymite began 107 occasions one 12 months with 45 wins and 79 finishes on the board! Incomes $2,296.93n a mean of $26.87 per begin and Tru Single G going beginning 106 occasions with a 30-31-15 scorecard, good for $2,875.36—a mean of $27.12 per begin.
QUESTION: “In your opinion, how troublesome is it to have a “batting common “400” as a driver?”
ANSWER: ONE WORD! “VERY!” Of the lots of and lots of and lots of and, presumably, hundreds of drivers competing this 12 months, solely 16 presently have a UDRS over .400—and that features all classes, of which there are three—lower than 300 drives, 300 to 499 drives and 500 or extra drives.
Within the hardest class—500 or extra drives, there are solely six within the choose listing with Wally Hennessey main that parade at .417 (232 wins in 862 begins), Man Gagnon second at .416 (158 wins in 610 drives) and Casey Leonard third (171 wins in 660 drives.
Jim Morrill, Jr., David Dowling and Greg Merton full that group.
Additionally of observe in that class is Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., who’s seventh within the group at .381, compiled with 502 wins in 2010 begins with 1,079 1-2-3 finishes—over 50 %.
Within the 300-499 group, Todd Schadel leads with .454, adopted by Adam Hauser at .425 and J. Brandon Campbell with a UDRS of .420.
Brad Kramer leads the 10-300 drive class at a “Curly Good” like .569, adopted by Tony Schadl with a mean of .524, Duane Roland, logged in at .462, Dave’s Ward with ,458 and Andrew Adamczyk, who’s fifth on the listing at .446.
James Gould (.439) and Brady Clemens (.428) full the listing.
In rationalization of simply how robust it’s to attain this quantity, solely 59 drivers competing immediately have a batting common at .300 or above.
QUESTION: “Are you able to inform me the names of the primary drivers to attain 1,000 wins? I’ve a wager with a pal and our over-under quantity is 100.”
ANSWER: That is dependent upon the 12 months to which you might be referring. Since I wrote my first article in 1964, I can inform you that the quantity that 12 months was precisely 25.
Billy Haughton led the listing with 2,104, adopted by Joe O’Brien (1,838), Levi Harner (1,769), Stanely Dancer (1,596) and Harry Burright (1,591) finishing the highest 5.
Curly Good (1,580), Frank Safford (1,535), Clint Hodgins (1,471, Hugh Bell (1,417) and Buddy Gilmour (1,413) have been subsequent.
Different names on the choose listing of 25 have been Delvin Miller, John Simpson, Sr., Jimmy Cruise, Tom Winn, Jim Jordan, Eddie Cobb, John Chapman, William McMillen, Lou Rapone, George Reed, Del Insko, Sanders Russell, Edgar Leonard, Frank Ervin and Don Busse (with 1,000)
Clarence Hansen, Bob Farrington, Earl Avery and Alan Myer have been knocking on the door.
QUESTION: “I do know the Hambletonian started in 1926, so my query is ‘Are there stakes older than that?’”
ANSWER: Completely, harness racing has many stakes occasions that started properly over aa century in the past…some are nonetheless round, some not!
The Crimson Mile hosted the Transylvania, Walnut Corridor and Kentucky Futurity lengthy earlier than 1900 and the Kentucky Futurity, which debuted in 1893, is among the most coveted stakes occasions to this very day.
Oro Wilkes gained the primary one and there have been many Hambletonian winners which have sealed their greatness within the Kentucky Futurity, together with Man McKinney, the primary Hambletonian winner in 1926, the filly Iosola’s Worthy in 1927, Spencer in 1928, Walter Expensive in 1929 and yet one more filly, Hanover’s Bertha, in 1930. From 1926 to 1936, the “infancy” of the Hambletonian there have been different fillies to win each the Hambletonian and the Kentucky Futurity, together with The Marchioness, Mary Reynolds and Rosalind. (Sure, fillies have been on even phrases with the colts and geldings within the early years).
The Transylvania additionally drew some nice horses over time since Jack gained the primary one in 1889 in 2:15, amongst them Greyhound and Rosalind (it was a ‘situation’ occasion) and the long run famous sire Rodney. Pronto Don gained it 5 occasions…1949—’51, ’53-’54.
The Walnut Corridor had its inaugural in 1897 with The Monk profitable for the legendary “Pop” Geers.
The Horseman Futurity had stakes for three-year-old trotters and pacers starting in 1907 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Hambo winners Greyhound, Insole’s Worthy and The Marchioness gained it, as did Brown Berry, fairly presumably know for his well-known $20,000 stumble within the 1933 Hambletonian simply yards from the end whereas main.
These occasions didn’t carry a lot of a handbag within the early years however, tenaciously, grew starting within the late 1940’s.
The Fox Stake for two-year-old pacers, additionally contested in Indianapolis, had its starting in 1927 and, at one time, was one of many extra related occasions in harness racing.
Amongst its juvenile winners have been The Widower, True Chief, Poplar Byrd, Solicitor…all changing into sires some wonderful racehorses…and, by the best way, two others that had an affect on our breed—Adios and Good Time!!
Lastly, the Matron Stakes for three-year-olds bought its begin in 1910 up in Michigan and continues so as to add it its historic significance in our sport.
Man McKinney, Hanover’s Bertha, Greyhound and Rosalind have been Hambletonian winners that gained the Matron whereas Adios, Good Time and Tar Heel, all Matron winners on the pacing aspect of the ledger, contributed drastically to our grand historical past.
We’ll hold watching the “e-mail” bag as future inquiries floor and we’ll deliver you some solutions when there may be little “bit” of a lull within the motion over the winter.
Till then…
Could The Horse Be WIth You!
by John Berry, for Harnesslink

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