American Trotting Classic

The American Trotting Classic at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred trotters aged three and older. It was run annually between 1955 and 1981 at three different racetracks with the final hosted by Hollywood Park Racetrack. [1] During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding American Pacing Classic.[2]

American Trotting Classic
Discontinued race race
LocationInglewood, California
Inaugurated1955
Race typeHarness race for Standardbred trotters
Websitedistance = 1 1/8 miles
(1,810 metres or 9 furlongs)
Race information
SurfaceDirt, 1 mile oval
TrackHollywood Park Racetrack
Qualification3 years & older
Purse$100,000 (1981)

The race was run at a distance of one mile from 1955 through 1960 after which it was run at a mile and an eighth.

The American Trotting Classic replaced the Golden West Trot which had been contested from 1946 through 1954 under the auspices of the Western Harness Racing Association at both Santa Anita Park and at Hollywood Park.[3]

Historical race events

In 1955, Scott Frost capped off a brilliant season of racing when he took the first of his consecutive wins in the American Trotting Classic and in both 1955 and 1956 he was voted Harness Horse of the Year . Earlier in 1955, Scott Frost had become the first horse to win the U.S. Trotting Triple Crown.[4]

In addition to back-to-back wins by Scott Frost in 1955 and 1956 and Savoir in 1974 and 1975, two other horses have also won the race twice. Fresh Yankee accomplished the feat in 1969 and again in 1971, plus Dayan in 1970 and 1972.

Hall of Fame driver/trainer Joe O'Brien won the American Trotting Classic six times which was the most by any trainer as well as by any driver. In addition, O'Brien drove to victory in the American Pacing Classic a record four times.

Records

Most wins by a driver
  • 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)
Most wins by a trainer
  • 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)
Stakes record
  • 2:11 3/5 – Classical Way (1980) at 1 1/8 miles
  • 1:57 3/5 – Senator Frost (1959) at 1 mile

Winners of the American Trotting Classic

Year
Winner
Age
Driver
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
1981 Dante Jay 7 Etienne S. Desomer Robin Clements Desomer Stable 1 1/8 m 2:12 2/5 $123,500
1980 Classical Way 4 John F. Simpson, Jr. John F. Simpson, Jr. Clarence F. Gaines 1 1/8 m 2:11 3/5 $94,000
1979 Jurgy Hanover 5 Peter Haughton Billy Haughton Kosmos Horse Breeders, Inc. 1 1/8 m 2:12 3/5 $92,000
1978 Keystone Pioneer 6 Billy Haughton Billy Haughton Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner 1 1/8 m 2:15 2/5 $100,800
1977 Ima Lula 4 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien Duncan A. MacDonald 1 1/8 m 2:13 4/5 $100,750
1976 Keystone Pioneer 4 Billy Haughton Billy Haughton Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner 1 1/8 m 2:12 3/5 $109,800
1975 Savoir 7 James D. Dennis Mel Smorra Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck) 1 1/8 m 2:14 1/5 $104,900
1974 Savoir 6 James D. Dennis Mel Smorra Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck) 1 1/8 m 2:13 3/5 $109,550
1973 Elesnar 5 Percy Robillard Percy Robillard Argyle Farms (George Henderson) 1 1/8 m 2:16 0/0 $100,000
1972 Dayan 6 William Myer William Myer Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein) 1 1/8 m 2:19 4/5 $100,000
1971 Fresh Yankee 8 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien Duncan A. MacDonald 1 1/8 m 2:20 4/5 $100,000
1970 Dayan 4 William Myer William Myer Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein) 1 1/8 m 2:13 2/5 $100,000
1969 Fresh Yankee 6 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien Duncan A. MacDonald 1 1/8 m 2:15 0/0 $100,000
1968 Lady B Fast 4 William Popfinger William Popfinger Buttonwood Tree Farm 1 1/8 m 2:15 2/5 $75,000
1967 Grandpa Jim 5 Robert G. Farrington Robert G. Farrington Jim & Marie Trainor 1 1/8 m 2:13 4/5 $60,000
1966 Earl Laird 6 Robert J. Williams, Sr. Jimmy Cruise Joan Cruise 1 1/8 m 2:13 2/5 $50,000
1965 Armbro Flight 3 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien Armstrong Bros. 1 1/8 m 2:15 3/5 $50,000
1964 Marco Hanover 5 Richard J. Buxton Richard J. Buxton Garrett S. Claypool 1 1/8 m 2:14 0/0 $50,000
1963 Porterhouse 5 Earle Avery Earle Avery Norman S. Woolworth 1 1/8 m 2:15 0/0 $50,000
1962 Duke Rodney 4 Billy Haughton Edward T. Wheeler Patrick & Elisabeth DiGennaro 1 1/8 m 2:15 2/5 $50,000
1961 Air Record 5 George Sholty George Sholty George Sholty & Faye Ross 1 1/8 m 2:17 2/5 $80,000
1960 Silver Song 5 Howard B. Camden Howard B. Camden Mercury Stable Farm, Inc. 1 mile 2:01 3/5 $85,000
1959 Senator Frost 4 Richard J. Buxton Richard J. Buxton Wayne Galvin 1 mile 1:57 3/5 $85,000
1958 Charming Barbara 4 Billy Haughton Billy Haughton John Froehlich 1 mile 2:00 1/5 $75,000
1957 Galophone 5 Robert Walker Robert Walker William T. Maybury 1 mile 2:00 4/5 $75,000
1956 Scott Frost 4 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien S. A. Camp Farms 1 mile 1:58 3/5 $75,000
1955 Scott Frost 3 Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien S. A. Camp Farms 1 mile 1:59 3/5 $75,000

References

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