Thank you, Harry O. Reno, for the Hambletonian

It’s Hambletonian Week, featuring harness racing’s most prestigious event—thanks to Reno…Harry O. Reno.

Reno was a live wire salesman and promoter from Chicago and, since he was a brother-in-law to Calumet Farm’s William Wright, had somewhat of an infinity for standardbred horses as that farm was a leading nursery for the breed.

In 1923, Reno traveled to Philadelphia on a business trip and knew of a popular sweepstakes event that took place in the Philly suburb of Narberth.

It was sponsored by the Belmont Driving Club and Reno began to explore ways to arrange a similar event in his arena of the midwest.

The $25,000 H. O. Reno American Racing Derby held in Kalamazoo, Michigan was the result and was so successful that Reno then continued to see if a viable event might be “foaled” for three-year-old trotters.

Reno contacted Joe Markey, one of the distinguished writers with The Horse Review and also got the backing of Mr. Wright and other prominent breeders in an attempt to make a dream a reality.

After much haggling and argument, a unanimous choice for naming this event was “The Hambletonian.”

Many bids were received for the inaugural one, scheduled for 1926, with the two most serious one from the Sesqui Centennial in Philadelphia and the New York State Fair in Syracuse.

With the Sesqui Centennial plagued by corruption, the first Hambletonian was awarded to The New York State Fair with that $73,451.32 event being won by Guy McKinney, driven by a Canadian, Nat Ray.

Today, of course, the Hambletonian may be the most famous and recognized event in all of standardbred racing, attracting attention from just about every corner of the earth…all because of a live wire salesman from Chicago who had a dream.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink