Missing old friends

[moelarrythecheese]

Hinsdale

[Gaagoots]

You left out Jeff Gural, and Al Libfeld,

[theokodjak26]

I see no one mentioned Green Mountain Raceway with harness racing. OMG I was there just once in the cold weather. The track had to be frozen because races were going in 2:40+. I swear this story is true. I bet a horse named Candy something at around 4-1. The gates open and the horse breaks. By the first time in the backstretch Candy is off by 20-25 lengths. Because of the frozen track or the winds, I don’t know, every other horse winds up breaking and my Candy horse wins in 2:42 by 5-10 lengths. I had never seen anything like this and never will again. My memories of the facility were good. The people were very nice and no smelly bums like you saw at Yonkers or Sportmans Park where throwing up on the apron was accepted as the norm back then.

[Fuguzzi]

Saratoga harness  1979 dead of winter. many races going 2.10 to 2.12 on the pace  add 4 seconds for trot  I swear sometimes we would go through inches of snow   winnners circle would have a foot  they wouldn't even clear it    Won a 10k with Bert Belanger catch driving on a  freezing cold night 2.09  fastest mile of the night

[The Thorn]

Interesting story on harness racing update about Liberty Bell, Brandywine and Garden State a while back.

https://harnessracingupdate.com/2015/05/08/disappearing-act-revisiting-the-sites-of-brandywine-liberty-bell-and-garden-state-2/

I have some history at those tracks too. Before I got into ownership I met Del Miller after he won a stakes race at Liberty Bell at a HoJo's of all places. He was super nice.  I drove 5 plus hours one way just to bet Anxious Robbie at the Battle of Brandywine, and later on one of my horses raced at Garden State in it's short lived stay as a harness track. 

[PIGLAND]

im back

[Fuguzzi]

Interesting story on harness racing update about Liberty Bell, Brandywine and Garden State a while back.

https://harnessracingupdate.com/2015/05/08/disappearing-act-revisiting-the-sites-of-brandywine-liberty-bell-and-garden-state-2/

I have some history at those tracks too. Before I got into ownership I met Del Miller after he won a stakes race at Liberty Bell at a HoJo's of all places. He was super nice.  I drove 5 plus hours one way just to bet Anxious Robbie at the Battle of Brandywine, and later on one of my horses raced at Garden State in it's short lived stay as a harness track.

Anxious Robbie  Good little racehorse  Alan Small trained him, right?

[Meadow Ford]

Maywood Park
March early 60's
Spring Thraw.
Eddie Morgan Jr.(Tony's dad) won the fastest race of the night and didn't beat 3:00

Ten or so years ago I posted on Barn to Wire the date, drivers, horses, and times. If I can find the old Year Book I will post it again.
The paddock was on the last turn then, if you weren't going to get a check you just pulled up.
And yes I was there.

[Fuguzzi]

Wow   You mean they would actually give the horse a DNF?  Crazy.

Ty for sharing.

[The Thorn]

Anxious Robbie  Good little racehorse  Alan Small trained him, right?

Don't really remember who the trainer was. I was betting on horses not trainers back then  .  I think I remember it wasn't a big barn so it's very likely you are right. 

Another interesting fact from those tracks.  Stanley Dancer won his last drive ever in a stakes race at Garden State.

[Fuguzzi]

Was it a trotter? I remember Dancer said he would never drive another "hobbled horse" at his age after seeing Haughton get killed.

[The Thorn]

Yes, Lifelong Victory a $350,000 winning son of Valley Victory. 

[Fuguzzi]

Makes sense

[Meadow Ford]

Anxious Robbie  Good little racehorse  Alan Small trained him, right?

Anxious Robby came to IL. as a sire.
I had a couple nice colts by him.