Immigration and its effect on harness racing

I revere and look up to those smarter than I.

And, as you might guess, that means I look up to almost everyone!

That’s how I learn, and that learning begins the second we come into this world and lasts until our last breath.

Learning is what spawns’ ideas for harness racing columns like these Mane Attractions and I love to share these learning experiences and ideas with as many as possible…after all, many have shared their learning experiences with me enriching my life over the years.

I love to listen to those that possess more wisdom than I.

That wisdom could be in someone’s writing…the words to a song…a quip…even a posting on the internet.

Over recent times, the immigration problem has become quite a topic in the USA.

To me, it had quite an effect as I, too, have family that came from Europe.

Immigration came to the forefront this weekend when Communicator Hall of Famer Murray Brown, a genius of a gentleman with wisdom beyond my reach, brought the issue to harness racing’s front burner by quietly posting that, on Saturday night’s big night of racing at The Meadowlands, not one USA born driver reached the winner’s circle.

Yes, eight Canadians, three Kiwis, two Aussies and one Swede all took time basking in the winner’s circle—leaving Americans dry like the Prohibition times of a century ago.

This, actually, is nothing new as this has been going on for more than a century…but just not in the entirety shown at The Meadowlands on Saturday night.

Heck, Nat Ray, the first driver to win the Hambletonian in 1926, was born in Canada—Whitby, Ontario—sometime between 1876 and 1882, I think—and was eventually honored with a race named in his honor…only to have his historical legacy wrongly erased.

How about Ben White? Clint Hodgins, Ralph Baldwin, Chappie, Buddy (and brothers), Herve, J.C., Billy O., Mike Lachance, Shelly Goudreau, Angus Allen, Cecil Champion, Wes Coke, Coco, Benoit Cote, Norm Dauplaise, Jimmy Doherty, Jeff James, Ray Remmen, Loosh, Clint Galbraith, Doc Hayes, Jack Kopas, Jimmy Larente, Archie McNeil, Jean Paul Morel, Joe O’Brien, Jack Quinn, Buddy Regan, The Turcottes (Mel and Ron and Lise with Omaha Lus)), Bill Gale, Fred Grant from North Sydney, Nova Scotia,  The Waples Gang, J. P. Morel,  Ross Hayter, Glydon Willis, Greg Wright, Marc Aubin, Bert Belanger, Pat Crowe, Steve Desomer and Dan Johnson, one of the few Canadians who had to drive NORTH to get into the United States!

My gosh, I almost left out Earle Avery of Meadow Skipper fame.

In more modern times, John Kopas from Regina, Saskatchewan.

Many of these drivers and trainers are famous for their exploits in harness racing…some not-so-famous…but all helped shape the landscape of our great sport.

And, of course, the immigration issue has spread from other countries.

Sacher Werner was from Vienna, Austria…Mike Zeller hailed from Weilheim, Germany…

And Dexter, the McCarthy Brothers…the great Ake…all immigrants that have made harness racing great!

Looking back a “bit,” Tom Artandi,  who made his mark at The Meadowlands during its infancy, was from Budapest, Hungary.

Gene DuPlaca came from Berlin Germany before settling in Ohio where he had some success.

Vinny Fusco came from Italy before landing in Freehold, New Jersey.

The infamous Hungarian from Budapest, Steve Inokai….remember him? What a character!

(As one fan said, “You could always be guaranteed 30 to 1 on any Inokai horse.”

Sweden’s Per Erikson put a large stamp with his name one it here in the USA…and Jan Johnson from Bromma in Sweden…(Now that I think of it, Hakan Wallner may have been from there, too.)

Berndt Lindstedt and Jan Nordin, also came to mind as they, too, have proven to enrich our sport through immigration.

And how could anyone forget Soren Nordin, originally from Forsa, Sweden (born Sept. 5, 1917…my how times flies!)

The great Lady J…Jacqueline Coard Ingrassia was originally from Ipswich, Suffolk in Great Britain—not exactly a “hotbed” of harness racing—and become a legend here in the U.S.A., in my eyes, anyhow…

Heikki and Pekka Korpi from Finland graced our tracks on occasion.

Mario Marcellino wound up in the Bronx from Cosenza, Italy.

Duncan Price, a prominent horseman was from Suffolk, England before landing in the landscape of Chicago.

The patriarch of the Villante family of racing, Giuseppe Villante—we lovingly called him. Vinny—came from Palermo, Sicily with Mario, Sal S., Sal V. and Saverio eventually ending up in Englishtown IN NEW JERSEY…and let’s not forget Rosie!!!

For those who try and take a swipe of immigration, just think of where our sport would be without it!

So, that’s my take on immigration and I thank Murray Brown for the wisdom that foaled this Mane Attraction.

I don’t see Murray all that often…but his wisdom is always with me.

May The Horse Be with You!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink