Could historic Big M night revive Red Mile Time Trials?

What a night at The Meadowlands!

From Backstreet Shadow’s 1:47.2 kickoff through Test Of Faith’s scintillating 1:47 performance and on to, of course, Bulldog Hanover’s once unbelievable 1:45.4 milestone becoming a reality on this night, it was a night requiring a lot of ink to rewrite the harness racing record books.

More than 60 horses paced their respective miles in under 1:50 on this night…but only three hit the winner’s circle, leaving many of the remaining 57 out of the charmed circle of glory wondering what it takes these days to gain that glow of glory.

That’s where the Red Mile comes into play.

Years ago, The Red Mile was known as much for its fall time trials as for the Grand Circuit racing.

Time trials, again, years ago, gave a two-year-old maiden or one with a mark of 2:08 or 2:09 a chance to put a “TT” mark on their record several seconds faster.

Three-year-olds were prominent, as well, as were some aged horses.

The time trial by Steady Star way back when gained as much of a roar from the crowd as any photo finish in the Kentucky Futurity!

It not only bolstered the record of the horse, but, also, of the sire and dam for future offerings in the sales ring.

Take Mad Max Hanover, Forever Boy, Captain Cowboy, and Captainryanmichael, for example. In the Meadowlands Pace Saturday night.

None in this quartet had a 1:50 mark coming in and a couple of these were lengths away.

Of course, none left with a 1:50 mark, either, as Beach Class cruised in 1:47.2.

Respectively, each paced their mile well under 1:50—Mad Max in 1:47.4, Fourever Boy in 1:48.2, the Cowboy in 1:48.2 and Captainryanmichael in 1:48.3.

The first three listed in that group came home in :25.4 with only Mad Max Hanover and Fourever Boy earning checks in the big pace.

Of course, trotters are in that same boat…but not quite to the same extent.

There are very few sub-1:50 trotters but, the ones that have chased those home, also deserve a chance to improve their marks, as well.

When Dovescry, who came into the Miss Versatility with a 1:50 mark achieved when she was four—she’s six now— equaled that mark on Saturday night with the grand mare Atlanta giving chase in finishing second.

Atlanta, of course, is one of the handful of sub-1:50 trotters with her 1:49 mark made at The Red Mile last season.

But Next Level Stuff, finishing third in that event Saturday night, is still seven lengths away from a 1:50 mark…and a perfect example of a beneficial time trial.

Weslynn Quest is another.

She took a 1:50.4 mark several seasons ago on the half miler at Northfield and trotted in 1:50.3 on Saturday night.

While that is outstanding in its own rite, wouldn’t it be something to become one of that handful of 1:50 trotters in the world?

Ghostintheshell, the Swedish bred six hear-old, trotted her mile in 1:50.4 in the Miss Versatility in finishing fifth—yet she is some 16 lengths away from achieving a 1:50 mark and could also benefit from a “TT.”

Red Mile Time Trials could be set five days before or after stakes events and be beneficial to all involved, including the farms where their stallions and sellers of yearlings.

In fact, an added incentive might be a stipend put up by the farms that could benefit them with a reduced record by our equine stars and an added credit to their stallions and broodmares.

How about, say, $50,000 for any horse that sets a world record for age, sex and gait!

Time trials…a great revival of our history!!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink

(Got a story idea? Email johnberry@harnesslink.com)