Carl Putnam Jr. still winning races after six decades

Lexington, KY — Michigan has had a long, storied history of producing great horsemen, and one who certainly makes that list is Carl Putnam Jr. Now 70, Putnam no longer keeps the torrid pace he once had, but he has compiled a stellar resume over his six-decade career in harness racing.

Putnam won his first race in 1970 at the Caro (Mich.) fair, and 52 years later his ledger sheet shows 6,845 victories, winning races in each decade he’s been in racing and compiling numerous driving titles at tracks across the Wolverine State. A top-notch driver who also trained his own stable over the years, Putnam’s barn at his farm in Byron, Mich., currently consists of just four.

“It was time these past few years that I finally slowed down,” said Putnam, who for an 18-year period from 1979-1996 topped 1,000 drives annually. “I definitely wanted to cut back from what I used to do, and that was racing every day. Sometimes during the summer I’d race at a fair in the daytime and go to the racetrack at night.”

Putnam’s success at the fairs is arguably unmatched in Michigan history as he considers one of his biggest accomplishments being that he held the title of leading colt stakes driver for more than 30 consecutive years through the 1980s, ’90s and 2000s (except for one year when he was sidelined after breaking his leg in a race accident). He also won numerous driving titles at Sports Creek, Saginaw and Jackson raceways.

Putnam learned the business from his cousin Rex and his father, Carl Sr., and it was with one of his dad’s horses that he scored that first victory at Caro. It was a hometown victory for Putnam, who lettered in football, basketball and track at Caro High School.

“I wouldn’t say I was a star, but I was the best in track and cross country,” Putnam said with a laugh.

Putnam opened his own public stable at Jackson Raceway in 1973, three years before his father passed away (his mother, Margaret, who was a staple at all the Michigan tracks, passed away in 2007). Over the years Putnam had as many as 30 horses in his stable, but now he’s down to just a handful.

Five times over his career Putnam ranked among the leading dash drivers, including in 1980 when his 254 trips to the winner’s circle landed him in 12th place. Putnam’s career-best victory total came in 1988 when he won 297 times, which placed him 16th on the year-end list.

At age 54 in 2006, Putnam notched his 6,000th career victory, becoming just the 32nd driver to reach that number at the time. When asked if he had ever dreamed he would achieve so much success, he said he never paid attention to numbers.

“When I first started I never really thought about numbers, I just wanted to race no matter what,” Putnam said. “I wanted to win though. So I just kept going and 5,000 wins came up one day at Northville and I didn’t realize it. And then later 6,000.

“And now 6,845 wins, and that just means I’m getting old,” he added with a laugh.

Despite his success, Putnam said he was never tempted to test the waters outside his home state.

“I thought about it, but I was having so much success here so it really didn’t tempt me,” he said.

Putnam, who was elected to Michigan’s Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1998, has driven a who’s who list of horses over the years. He counts a pair of stars of the 1980s — Leader’s Best and Jake’s Impulse — among his best, but admits he could name off dozens that could also make the list. Some of those stars include trotters P V Butch and Shoe In, as well as pacing mare Do Me Good. More recent stars include Lady Deda D, Lucky Roll, Suzygottanewheart, Sunset Acres Jamie and Sunset Acres James. And let’s not forget See What Happens, Class A Eightyfour, Jeff’s Sister, PV Star, and OK’s Noble Ann. The list goes on and on.

Putnam purchased his 80-acre farm in 1988 and today it also serves as the site of LilliVin Farm, operated by his daughter, Carrie Putnam, and her husband, Rob Marotta. The farm is named for their two children, Lilly and Vinny. LilliVin Farm, which began operations just last year, is currently home to about 40 broodmares and trotting stallions Celebrity Pegasus (Andover Hall) and Musical Rhythm (Cantab Hall) and pacing stallion Captain Victorious (Captaintreacherous).

In addition to working his small stable, Putnam also works the half-mile track himself. He admits he doesn’t see full retirement anytime soon. Last year, Putman’s 95 driving starts resulted in 26 wins, 25 seconds and 15 thirds, for a hefty UDR of .473.

“I don’t ever think about retiring,” said Putnam, whose family includes four children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. “I always want to keep it going a little bit.”

by Gordon Waterstone, USTA Editorial Specialist