American Pacing Classic
The American Pacing Classic is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred pacers aged three and older. It was run annually between 1955 and 1981 at three different racetracks with the final hosted by Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California.[1] During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding American Trotting Classic.[2]
| Discontinued race | |
| Location | Inglewood, California |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1955 |
| Race type | Harness race for standardbred pacers |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1/8 miles (1,810 metres or 9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt, 1/2-mile oval |
| Track | Hollywood Park Racetrack |
| Qualification | 3 years & older |
| Purse | $288,000 (1981) |
The American Pacing Classic replaced the Golden West Pace which had been run from 1946 through 1954 under the auspices of the Western Harness Racing Association with races at both Santa Anita Park and Hollywood Park.
Historical race events
In the inaugural American Pacing Classic series, Hillsota, Diamond Hal and Times Square each won a heat of the Pacing Classic in the identical time of 1:59 flat. As a result, Hillsota and Times Square were awarded a tie for the series based on their final standing in a summary of the three heats.[3]
Los Alamitos Race Course created a short-lived one mile race they called the American Pacing Classic which was run from 1990 to 1992.[4]
Records
- Most wins by a driver
- 4 – Joe O'Brien (1959, 1963, 1975, 1979)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 3 – Stanley Dancer (1965, 1971, 1972)
- Stakes record
- 2:07 3/5 – Niatross (1981) at 1 1/8 miles
- 1:55 3/5 – Adios Butler (1960) at 1 mile
Winners of the American Pacing Classic
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Driver |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance |
Time |
Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Genghis Khan | 4 | Sheldon Goudreau | Eddie Cobb | Eddie Cobb, Nevacal Stable, Jet Star Farms | 1 1/8 m | 2:09 0/0 | $288,000 |
| 1980 | Niatross | 3 | Clint Galbraith | Clint Galbraith | Niatross Syndicate | 1 1/8 m | 2:07 3/5 | $98,500 |
| 1979 | Flight Director | 4 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | Thurman S. Downing | 1 1/8 m | $150,000 | |
| 1978 | Rambling Willie | 8 | Robert G. Farrington | Robert G. Farrington | Farrington Stable Inc. | 1 1/8 m | $110,750 | |
| 1977 | Le Baron Rouge | 5 | Bernard Gervais | Bernard Gervais | Paul-Henri Lavoie | 1 1/8 m | 2:10 3/5 | $110,250 |
| 1976 | Oil Burner | 3 | Ben Webster | Charlie Wingate | William Brooks & Ben Webster | 1 1/8 m | 2:10 0/0 | $113,750 |
| 1975 | Young Quinn | 6 | Joe O'Brien | Charlie Hunter | Bud & Des Baynes | 1 1/8 m | 2:12 4/5 | $100,000 |
| 1974 | Keystone Smartie | 4 | Peter Haughton | Billy Haughton | D.D.M Stable | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 1/5 | $113,350 |
| 1973 | Invincible Shadow | 4 | Jim Miller | Jim Miller | John F. Graham | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 3/5 | $114,100 |
| 1972 | Albatross | 4 | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Amicable Stable | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 3/5 | $100,000 |
| 1971 | Albatross | 3 | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Amicable Stable | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 4/5 | $100,000 |
| 1970 | Laverne Hanover | 4 | George Sholty | Billy Haughton | Thomas W. Murphy, Jr. | 1 1/8 m | 2:14 4/5 | $100,000 |
| 1969 | Overcall | 6 | Del Insko | Del Insko | Helen R. Buck | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 1/5 | $100,000 |
| 1968 | Overcall | 5 | Del Insko | Del Insko | Helen R. Buck | 1 1/8 m | 2:15 3/5 | $75,000 |
| 1967 | Easy Prom | 5 | Robert G. Farrington | Robert G. Farrington | Farrington Stables & Arnold Cattle Co. | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 3/5 | $60,000 |
| 1966 | True Duane | 3 | Norman "Chris" Boring | Leon Boring | Richard Oldfield | 1 1/8 m | 2:09 1/5 | $50,000 |
| 1965 | Cardigan Bay | 9 | Edward T. Wheeler | Stanley Dancer | Irving W. Berkemeyer, Lawrence Slobody, et al. | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 3/5 | $50,000 |
| 1964 | Meadow Skipper | 4 | Earle Avery | Earle Avery | Norman S. Woolworth | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 3/5 | $50,000 |
| 1963 | Gamecock | 4 | Joe O'Brien | John F. Simpson, Sr. | Lawrence B. Sheppard | 1 1/8 m | 2:13 3/5 | $50,000 |
| 1962 | Irvin Paul | 5 | Charles King | Charles King | Charles King & Abraham Wilsker | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 1/5 | $50,000 |
| 1961 | Adios Butler | 5 | Paige H. West | Paige H. West | Paige H. West & Angelo Pellillo | 1 1/8 m | 2:11 1/5 | $80,000 |
| 1960 | Adios Butler | 4 | Clint Hodgins | Paige H. West | Paige H. West & Angelo Pellillo | 1 m | 1:55 3/5 | $75,000 |
| 1959 | Sunbelle | 4 | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien | S. A. Camp Farms, Inc. | 1 m | 1:57 2/5 | $75,000 |
| 1958 | Gold Worthy | 5 | Curly Smart | Curly Smart | Dr. A. B. Thompson | 1 m | 1:57 1/5 | $75,000 |
| 1957 | Widower Creed | 4 | Jimmy Wingfield | Jimmy Wingfield | Tom Loss | 1 m | 1:58 3/5 | $75,000 |
| 1956 | Dotties Pick | 4 | Delvin Miller | Delvin Miller | J. Elgin & Charles E. Armstrong | 1 m | 1:57 4/5 | $75,000 |
| 1955 | Times Square | 5 | McKinley Kirk | McKinley Kirk | Eddie Kirk | 1 m | 1:59 0/0 | $75,000 |
| 1955 | Hillsota | 5 | Earle Avery | Earle Avery | Clearview Stables | 1 m | 1:59 0/0 | $75,000 |
References
- Los Angeles Times - June 14, 1990 Retrieved September 19, 2016
- Sports Illustrated December 5, 1955 article titled "A Roundup of the Week's News", subtitle "Harness Racing" Retrieved September 19, 2016
- New York Times November 26, 1955 article titled "Times Square First In Final Leg Of Pace" Retrieved September 17, 2016
- Los Angeles Times June 14, 1990 article titled "Los Alamitos Takes a Page From Past With the American Pacing Classic" Retrieved September 19, 2016