America’s premier event – the Hambletonian

A “bit” over a century ago, a live wire salesman from Chicago, Harry O. Reno, began crafting the idea for an event for three-year-old trotters.

Of course, many people thought that the idea for this greatest event in harness racing—The Hambletonian—actually was conceived in the cradle of harness racing, Goshen, New York.

But the Hambletonian was actually patterned after an event raced over the old Belmont Driving Club mile track, located at Narbeth, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.

Reno was a relative of William Wright, of Calumet Farm, a prominent nursery of standardbred horses.

He had occasion to go to Philadelphia on a business trip with a “sidecar” mission to buy a trotting mare to race in the western circuits—meaning the Midwest—as several other valuable stakes events were being conducted…just not for three-year-old trotters.

First, the H. O. Reno pacing Derby was “foaled’ and was so successful that the possibility for a similar stake for trotters was conceived.

One of harness racing’s great journalists of that era, Joseph “Joe” Markey of Horse Review fame, had the backing of Wright and other prominent breeders and, which once was considered “an idle dream,” began to take shape.

Of course, the all-important naming of the stake would be become argumentative but, finally, all agreed on The Hambletonian as the most appropriate.

Of course, that name would become synonymous as becoming the pinnacle in our grand sport.

The first Hambletonian was awarded to the New York State Fair at Syracuse—bids having been received from a number of Grand Circuit tracks.

One bidder—Philadelphia’s Sesquicentennial Exposition—with the largest bid to host The Hambletonian, was forced to withdraw due to the collapse of the Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia.

That exposition, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, opened to a great fanfare but failed to garner the visitors to cover its costs and the organization went into receivership and its assets were sold at auction.

The first Hambletonian took place on August 30, 1926, and, indeed, was the feature of the New York State Fair with Guy McKinney (Guy Axworthy) winning this richest event—$73,451.32—in straight heats for driver Nat Ray—his winning times 2:05 1/4 and 2:04 1/4.

Nat Ray, himself, was a colorful character from Whitby, Ontario, Canada—some say 1876, others 1882—and had his first foray with a horse at the age of six, riding the pony, Queen Mary, at the fairgrounds.

Labeled “the man with the brilliant green jacket, “he came to the USA around 1896 and began his career as a jockey in Latonia, Kentucky.

He switched to steeplechase racing and rode four American Grand National Steeplechase winners with the press describing him as the most accomplished that ever sat in a saddle.

He raced in England and was known for his prowess in handling “bad actors.”

He raced for the elite stables in the sport, including James D. Widener, and handled some of the best steeplechase horses of his era, including Good And Plenty.

Moving on to the standardbreds in 1911 and, in 1926, etched his name in history in winning the inaugural Hambletonian.

Owner Henry Rea rewarded Nat Ray with a 10% bonus check for winning and it was rumored that he won another $20,000 betting on Guy McKinney in a “winter book” at odds of 40 to 1.

Nat Ray was also associated with other excellent horses, including Peter The Brewer, Juno and Tarzan Grattan, among them.

He was inducted into two Halls of Fame—our Trotting Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y. and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

As for the grand Hambletonian, he was foaled at Sugar Loaf, N.Y. (just miles from Goshes) and is buried at Chester, N.Y.

It was a gent named Jonas Seely, a farmer in the vicinity, that purchased Hambletonian 10’s dam, known as the Charles Kent mare, and bred her to Abdallah, a stallion that stood at a “hamlet” near Chester with the service fee being $12.50.

Hamabletonian 10 was the resultant foal on May 18, 1849, being purchased, along with his dam, by William Rysdyk, also a farmer, who borrowed $125 to pay for them.

It was said that Hambletonian raced only one time in a match race on Long Island—a race in which each horse started two heats (but not together) the winner being the one with the fastest time.

Mr. Rysdyk, after borrowing that $125, rose to grand affluence from the “Great Father’s” stud fees.

As a two-year-old Hambletonian 10 was bred to four mares free.

As the years progressed, so did the numbers when, in 1864, he was bred to 217 mares at $100 each.

By 1875, the year prior to his death, he served his last mares and enriched his owner to the tune of over $180,000.

It’s no wonder that The Hambletonian is considered the greatest spectacle in harness racing…and we can thank a live wire salesman from Chicago, Harry O. Reno for this century of history…and beyond.

May the horse be with you.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink