I have to admit that I
have always been somewhat of a statistical geek. I have an affinity for numbers
and when you combine that with an interest in harness racing - a business that
almost exclusively uses numbers to gauge itself - it provides an opportunity to
evaluate it from different points of view.
After all, we offer race patrons a program full of numbers and statistical
data. Whether it is a horses time in
their last race; the number of wins or dollars earned or maybe just the betting
information, numbers and statistics can play a large role in this sport.
When Niatross
time-trialed in a world record 1:49.1 in 1980, I remember the harness racing
periodical The Harness Horse arrived in
the mailbox with nothing on its cover but the numbers :27.3-:54.3-1:21.4-1:49.1. I was a teenager just starting to follow
harness racing and the significance of that cover was not lost on me. I had already memorized the family tree of
all of my relative’s horses and I understood the importance of Meadow Skipper,
Bye Bye Byrd and Adios in a pedigree.
Now harness racing took on a new perspective for me. Niatross was now the fastest horse of all
time and I wanted to know whose record he eclipsed and how fast they had gone.
I took that interest to
Fredericton Raceway and when I started to work there in 1982 I went about ensuring
that all of the track records were current and that a list of the Walter Dale
winners was easily accessible. Scott
Green has been very helpful in maintaining the integrity of the track records
and assembling timed track records for trotters and pacers since the track
opened in 1887. I also put together a
chronological history of the track.
So with that all said,
and seeing as it is the end of another calendar year, I decided to indulge the
usual year-end inundation of ‘Best of’ lists and take a look at New Brunswick’s
most prolific horses of all time. I
solicited harness racing guru Patrick Eastwood of Saint John and he provided me
some interesting information on New Brunswick breeding. I categorized some of the data and came up
with the following “Best of” lists.
Top 6 Maritime-bred pacing horses and geldings bred in New Brunswick -
by lifetime record
1:50.2s Kickin’ Up Dirt Breeder: Robert Hume, Hay Settlement
1:51s You’re Going Down Breeder: Milton Downey, Saint John
1:51.2f Clinton Debriefed Breeder: Hugh Baird, Hampton
1:51.2s Chatham Hoochee Breeder: Mike Melanson, Shediac
1:51.2m Jaguar Knight Breeder: Thomas McMaster, Saint John
1:51.4f Sun Vals Thunder Breeder: Johannes Wuhrmann, Mount Hebron
The top two, Kickin’ Up
Dirt and You’re Going Down, are by Drop Off while Clinton Debriefed (Quick
Comeback), Chatham Hoochee (Chatham Light), Jaguar Knight (Knightly Blue Chip)
and Sun Vals Thunder (Largo) are 100% “New Brunswick-bred,” which for this
purpose means that both stallion and broodmare were from New Brunswick at the
time of breeding.
Top 6 Maritime-bred pacing fillies and mares bred in New Brunswick - by
lifetime record
1:51.4s Honey Do Jigtime Breeder: Blaine & Donna Hannay, Upper Rexton
1:52.1s Spudland Sierra Breeder: Alfred Moeller, Mount Hebron
1:52.1s Charlottes Trick Breeder: Alfred Moeller, Mount Hebron
1:53s Charlottes Abby Breeder: Alfred Moeller, Mount Hebron
1:53m Cookies Lighting Breeder: Melvin Land, Hopewell Cape
1:53.3s Some Nice Ketch Breeder: David Kileel, Fredericton
Alfred Moeller dominates
this list with all but Honey Do Jigtime and Some Nice Ketch by stallions that
stood at Moeller’s Charlotte Ranch at the time of breeding. Largo sired two performers, Charlottes Trick
and Cookies Lighting. Knightly Blue Chip
was the sire of Spudland Sierra and Sherwood Abe sired Charlottes Abby. Some Nice Ketch was sired by Willow Bird.
Top 6 New Brunswick-FOALED pacing horses and geldings by lifetime
record
1:49.3s Pronger Breeder: Richard MacDonald, Saint John
1:50f Astronomical Breeder: Seawinds AMG Stables, Moncton
1:51.1s Ultimate Luck Breeder: Village Acres Ltd., Brampton, ON
1:51.1s Lyons Horace Breeder: Seawinds AMG Stables, Moncton
1:51.1f Seawind Gambler Breeder: Seawinds AMG Stables, Moncton
1:51.4f Thunderfirst Breeder: Seawinds AMG Stables, Moncton
Andre Moeller, Mount Hebron
Dan Belliveau, Halifax, NB
Arnold Gerhard’s
Seawinds AMG Stables is well represented here and it is interesting to note
that the Astreos-Hey Girl mating produced three members on this list, Astronomical,
Lyons Horace and Seawind Gambler.
Thunderfirst was also sired by Astreos.
Top 6 Maritime-bred trotting horses and geldings bred in New Brunswick
- by lifetime record
1:55.2s Final Balance Breeder: One Black Horse Stable, Moncton
1:56.2f Buddywhatshisname Breeder:
George Irving, Irishtown
1:59.4m Bulletin Board Breeder: David Kileel, Fredericton
2:02.4h Duvar Road Breeder: Robert & Grace Corlett, Miramichi
2:03.3f Elmwood Express Breeder: George Irving, Moncton
2:03.4f Policy Maker Breeder: Donald Canning, Moncton
The top two, Final
Balance and Buddywhatshisname, are full brother and sister (Balance Of
Trade-Summer House). Both Elmwood
Express and Policy Maker are by the double-gaited producing Horton Hanover.
Top 6 Maritime-bred trotting fillies and mares bred in New Brunswick -
by lifetime record
2:01.3f Ithadtobeme Breeder: Louise Turner, Bellisle Creek
2:02.3f Elmwood Galaxy Breeder: Elmwood Stable & Farm, Moncton
Q2:03.1h Kims Balance Breeder: Joseph & Geraldine Leger
2:03.2h Sno Trump Breeder: Robert & Grace Corlett, Miramichi
2:04.3h Magic North Breeder: Robert & Grace Corlett, Miramichi
2:05h Power Anne Breeder: Dolores Doyle, Bloomfield
The trot-bred Sno Trump
was double gaited but never took a record on the pace. She is also the dam of Duvar Road (who took
his record in Summerside this past summer) on the previous list. Power Anne is 100% pacing bred (Power
Baron-Bye Bye Sheralee-Bye Bye Andy).
Top 2 NEW BRUNSWICK-FOALED trotters by lifetime record
2:00.1f Safe House Breeder: George Irving, Irishtown
2:02.2h Darowen Breeder:
Donna Davies, Wakefield
The presence of Safe
House at the top of this record gives the prolific trot broodmare, Summer
House, four spots on these trot lists – the others being Final Balance,
Buddywhatshisname and Elmwood Galaxy.
Summer House had produced foals with earnings of $648,217.
Top 12 New Brunswick-BRED horses, mares and geldings by money earnings
$468,696 You’re Going Down Breeder: Milton Downey, Saint John
$432,608 Clinton Debriefed Breeder: Hugh Baird, Hampton
$431,787 Kickin’ Up Dirt Breeder: Robert Hume, Hay Settlement
$360,367 Christopher C Down Breeder:
Milton Downey, Saint John
$342,630 Flaming Moe Breeder:
Hugh Baird, Hampton
$298,985 Sun Vals Thunder Breeder: Johannes Wuhrmann
$273,197 Chatham Hoochee Breeder: Mike Melanson, Shediac
$254,931 Harry Sherwood Breeder: Clarence Glynn, Miramichi City
$245,060 Final Balance (T) Breeder: One Black Horse Stable, Moncton
$241,720 Cocagne Battle Breeder: Leo & Gerard Gallant, Cocagne
$233,036 Cookies Lighting Breeder: Melvin Land, Hopewell Cape
$233,021 Some Nice Ketch Breeder: David Kileel, Fredericton
Top 12 New Brunswick-SIRED horses, mares and geldings by money earnings
$432,608 Clinton Debriefed Sire: Quick Comeback
$360,367 Christopher C Down Sire:
Timely Robin
$342,630 Flaming Moe Sire:
Quick Comeback
$298,985 Sun Vals Thunder Sire: Largo
$273,197 Chatham Hoochee Sire:
Chatham Light
$261,877 Guyonthego Sire:
Willow Bird
$260,203 Kissmelass Sire:
Lisryan
$254,931 Harry Sherwood Sire: Sherwood Abe
$241,720 Cocagne Battle Sire: Shuttle Mission
$233,036 Cookies Lighting Sire: Largo
$233,021 Some Nice Ketch Sire: Willow Bird
$231,722 Diplomat Katie Sire: Willow Bird
All but You’re Going
Down, Kickin’ Up Dirt, Guyonthego, Kissmelass and the only trotter, Final
Balance, are 100% New Brunswick-bred.
Clinton Debriefed
(Quick Comeback-Mayflower Madam) is 100% New Brunswick-bred and is the richest
of all time as well as having the fastest lifetime record. He was the Atlantic Sires Stakes champion as
a two and three-year-old and was Horse-of-the-Year in 2003.
 |
| Clinton Debriefed taking his record of 1:51.2 at Dover Downs - November 22, 2004 |
Is Clinton Debriefed
the greatest horse ever produced in this province?
* * * * *
Here is one more
notable fact for New Brunswick. Bayside
Katfish (Knight Champ-Bayside Empress), who was raised at Johnny Rae’s farm in
Dumfries, is the winningest New Brunswick horse in the modern era with 86
lifetime wins. Next on the list is Auguste Gallant's Ocean Street (St. James Streetr-Starters Choice) with 85 wins. Third is Galen
Dempsey’s homebred Laurels Curly (Crafty Shadow-Star News) with 81.
* * * * *
New Brunswick breeding
has produced five Maritime Horse-of-the-Year winners over the past 30 years -
Gemini Risk (1983), Angels Shadow (1986), Seltzer Blue (1989), Clinton
Debriefed (2003) and Flaming Moe (2005).
* * * * *
Next blog we will
examine the best horses Fredericton Raceway ever produced and I will leave you
with the following trivia questions for horses that were broke and trained in
Fredericton?
Who is the horse with
the fastest lifetime record?
Who is the horse with
the highest lifetime money earnings?
Who is the horse with
the most lifetime wins in the modern era?
Which trainer had
developed three horses with at least 50 wins each?
Who is the most
successful trotter?
What horse once held a
world record?
How many horses have
both earned over $100,000 and taken a lifetime record better than 1:55?
Do you know the
answers? Some may surprise you.
Find out in the next
blog after Christmas.
* * * * *
I would like to take
this opportunity to thank you for continuing to support this blog and the
Fredericton Raceway 125 Facebook page.
It is my hope that you and your family have a Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year.
PLEASE STAY SAFE.
* * * * *
For more historical data, pictures and stories please LIKE
Fredericton Raceway 125 on Facebook.
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