American Trotting Classic
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]
| Discontinued race race | |
| Location | Inglewood, California |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1955 |
| Race type | Harness race for Standardbred trotters |
| Website | distance = 1 1/8 miles (1,810 metres or 9 furlongs) |
| Race information | |
| Surface | Dirt, 1 mile oval |
| Track | Hollywood Park Racetrack |
| Qualification | 3 years & older |
| Purse | $100,000 (1981) |
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
- 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)
- Stakes record
- 2:11 3/5 – Classical Way (1980) at 1 1/8 miles
- 1:57 3/5 – Senator Frost (1959) at 1 mile
Winners of the American Trotting Classic
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Driver |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance |
Time |
Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Dante Jay | 7 | Etienne S. Desomer | Robin Clements | Desomer Stable | 1 1/8 m | 2:12 2/5 | $123,500 |
| 1980 | Classical Way | 4 | John F. Simpson, Jr. | John F. Simpson, Jr. | Clarence F. Gaines | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 3/5 | $94,000 |
| 1979 | Jurgy Hanover | 5 | Peter Haughton | Billy Haughton | Kosmos Horse Breeders, Inc. | 1 1/8 m | 2:12 3/5 | $92,000 |
| 1978 | Keystone Pioneer | 6 | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 2/5 | $100,800 |
| 1977 | Ima Lula | 4 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | Duncan A. MacDonald | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 4/5 | $100,750 |
| 1976 | Keystone Pioneer | 4 | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner | 1 1/8 m | 2:12 3/5 | $109,800 |
| 1975 | Savoir | 7 | James D. Dennis | Mel Smorra | Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck) | 1 1/8 m | 2:14 1/5 | $104,900 |
| 1974 | Savoir | 6 | James D. Dennis | Mel Smorra | Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck) | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 3/5 | $109,550 |
| 1973 | Elesnar | 5 | Percy Robillard | Percy Robillard | Argyle Farms (George Henderson) | 1 1/8 m | 2:16 0/0 | $100,000 |
| 1972 | Dayan | 6 | William Myer | William Myer | Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein) | 1 1/8 m | 2:19 4/5 | $100,000 |
| 1971 | Fresh Yankee | 8 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | Duncan A. MacDonald | 1 1/8 m | 2:20 4/5 | $100,000 |
| 1970 | Dayan | 4 | William Myer | William Myer | Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein) | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 2/5 | $100,000 |
| 1969 | Fresh Yankee | 6 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | Duncan A. MacDonald | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 0/0 | $100,000 |
| 1968 | Lady B Fast | 4 | William Popfinger | William Popfinger | Buttonwood Tree Farm | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 2/5 | $75,000 |
| 1967 | Grandpa Jim | 5 | Robert G. Farrington | Robert G. Farrington | Jim & Marie Trainor | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 4/5 | $60,000 |
| 1966 | Earl Laird | 6 | Robert J. Williams, Sr. | Jimmy Cruise | Joan Cruise | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 2/5 | $50,000 |
| 1965 | Armbro Flight | 3 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | Armstrong Bros. | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 3/5 | $50,000 |
| 1964 | Marco Hanover | 5 | Richard J. Buxton | Richard J. Buxton | Garrett S. Claypool | 1 1/8 m | 2:14 0/0 | $50,000 |
| 1963 | Porterhouse | 5 | Earle Avery | Earle Avery | Norman S. Woolworth | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 0/0 | $50,000 |
| 1962 | Duke Rodney | 4 | Billy Haughton | Edward T. Wheeler | Patrick & Elisabeth DiGennaro | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 2/5 | $50,000 |
| 1961 | Air Record | 5 | George Sholty | George Sholty | George Sholty & Faye Ross | 1 1/8 m | 2:17 2/5 | $80,000 |
| 1960 | Silver Song | 5 | Howard B. Camden | Howard B. Camden | Mercury Stable Farm, Inc. | 1 mile | 2:01 3/5 | $85,000 |
| 1959 | Senator Frost | 4 | Richard J. Buxton | Richard J. Buxton | Wayne Galvin | 1 mile | 1:57 3/5 | $85,000 |
| 1958 | Charming Barbara | 4 | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | John Froehlich | 1 mile | 2:00 1/5 | $75,000 |
| 1957 | Galophone | 5 | Robert Walker | Robert Walker | William T. Maybury | 1 mile | 2:00 4/5 | $75,000 |
| 1956 | Scott Frost | 4 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | S. A. Camp Farms | 1 mile | 1:58 3/5 | $75,000 |
| 1955 | Scott Frost | 3 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | S. A. Camp Farms | 1 mile | 1:59 3/5 | $75,000 |
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