The quest for speed has seen vast improvements to gear, training methods, nutrition, breeding with track conditioning and design high among them.
Worldwide, all weather tracks have evolved in size from half mile to five eighths, three quarter mile, seven eighths to one mile tracks. In Europe, these tracks can range up to 2000m in circumference. Where grass tracks are concerned, often shared with the thoroughbred code, they can be up to 2200m or more in size (2600m – Galloprennen Freudenau in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria; three time venue for Frank Stronach Derby – 3).
In the late 1800’s, a new track design emerged that was a North American wonder – the Kite track. With the first two minute mile still seven years away (Star Pointer, 1:59¼TT, 1897), the ‘Horse Review’ magazine (itself only seven months old), in 1889 revealed a new design for a mile track that targeted lowering speed records. The kite track consisted of two straights and one bend, each of one third of a mile length. The start and finish were at the apex of the kite where the two stretches met, therefore horses had only one bend to contend with. The ‘Horse Review’ predicted it would be the track of the future.
Arguments for such a track consisted of :
- Mile over half mile track – twice as many turns on half mile track when running mile distance; sharper turns and shorter straights on half mile
- Proven times on mile tracks much quicker between six to eight seconds
- Scoring up for races would be improved, with delays in repeated scoring reduced/eliminated
- Less chance of accidents
- Judges in better position to keep an eye on any “wrong doing”
- Two grandstands would be erected : one near the starting line and the other at the winning post – more seating capacity and increased profits
- $500 offered to association conducting first kite track meeting and ‘Horse Review’ offered editorial and advertising pages free of charge to promote its success
The Rockford, Illinois newspaper ‘The Morning Star’ urged its adoption but in 1890 Rockford adopted a pear shaped design with three straights and three turns instead. The first kite track was constructed at Kankakee, Illinois with its first meet (four day event) held on 1 July 1890. It proved to be a resounding success. Interestingly, the ‘Horse Review’ magazine that lasted longer than the kite and pear shaped tracks that appeared in the 1890s and early twentieth century.
The kite tracks proved so fast that records were not accepted or officially recorded and were required to have the letter K listed next to them (viz Colonial Downs, Z). The introduction of bike sulkies with pneumatic tyres meant kite tracks lost favour.. Turns were not considered such a hindrance and besides fans did not like horses running away from them or being so far in the distance during most of a race. A number of kite tracks were redesigned back to regulation mile or half mile tracks..
Kite tracks were found in many small town locations (competing against Grand Circuit venues) such as :
Kankakee, near Chicago, Illinois – was the first kite track opened in 1890 where Nelson lowered the world stallion record to T2:11½ (he subsequently lowered it to T2:10¾).
Chilliothe, Ohio – one mile kite track opened in 1892, boasted four of first 150 2:10 performers in North America in 1893 and 1894 (3 pacers, 1 trotter). It was claimed to be the fastest rack in the world assisted by it being downhill all the way, it was reconstructed so racing was conducted on a level surface.
Columbia, Tennessee – one mile kite track opened in 1893. Columbia was the hometown of Napoleon Direct, the winner of 66 of his 95 starts and sire of champion Billy Direct. Trainer Pop Geers, one of the sports great horsemen also called Columbia home. The Geers Stakes (originally the 3yo pacing division of Hambletonian) is named after him and continues to be run for 2&3yo colts and fillies, pacers and trotters divisions now held at Tioga Downs. In 1891, Direct (Director/Echo) lowered the North American Pacers racemile he set at Nashville from 2:09¼ to 2:09.0 and subsequently to 2:08.0 at Columbia.
Hedrick, Iowa – its one mile kite-shaped racetrack and amphitheatre operated from 1892 to 1900 then it was torn down for land development and historical markers still show the location. Lockheart was one of first 150 2:10 performers in North America on this track (T2:08½ in 1895).
Rush Park, Independence, Iowa : one of the first one mile kite tracks opened in August 1890. It was funded by Charles W. Williams who took a profit on the sale of Axtell (improved North American 3yo Trotters mile record from T2:15½TT to T2:12..0TT in 1889 and sired Axworthy) to a syndicate for $105,000 to purchase 120 acres on which to build his track.
William B. Fasig of New York designed and built the track for Williams in 1889. Over 225 horses were present for the inaugural race day and over 10,000 people were in attendance. Numerous trotters’ racemiles, pacing mares and 2yo pacing mile records were set on this track in early 1890’s.
The track became so popular that in 1892 Illinois Central began to serve it with a passenger service. The railroad built a new passenger depot needed to help take care of the crowds converging for the races. In the 1890’s it was not unusual to have 25,000 to 30,000 people attending these races. All the locals had to do was get on the Burlington railroad and “ride the rails” to the horse races. Williams also built an electric street railway, a $75,000 hotel and an opera house in Independence. Williams was a prominent figure in harness racing but after major financial issues in 1896, he left to become a travelling evangelist for the next three decades..
Kirkwood, Delaware : one mile kite track operated by Maple Valley Trotting Association. A down hill track, like Chillicothe, it was reconstructed so racing was conducted on a level surface. The Wilmington Morning News report of 5 July 1892 (repeated in Morning Star of 24 May 1969), outlined a little of the history and opening days racing at this venue. Dr. J.C. McCoy (sportsman/horse breeder/medical entrepreneur) on his farm at Kirkwood, 10 miles south of Wilmington, built a large kite shaped racetrack that offered purses attracting the finest racing talent available. Many horsemen sent their young stock to the McCoy farm to be handled and trained. McCoy owned Saladin, a great stallion who recorded a 2:05¾ mile in 1893 on the Kirkwood track. Saladin attracted large crowds but his superior speed meant he outclassed his opponents eventually leaving him without any contestants..
The Maple Valley Trotting Association’s kite track was opened on American Independence Day (4 July 1892). The track was watered by a mile of 2 inch pipe placed on the inside fence with sprinklers to provide a track in perfect condition.. Water came from a 60 foot water tower storing 15,000 gallons of water. Stables for 100 horses and a grandstand seating 1,000 with restaurant below were among the facilities provided.
Opening day attracted a crowd of more than 8,000 to the quiet little Delaware town. Special trains ran from Wilmington (three trains from Wilmington alone : 10 carriages/1,500 passengers; 8 carriages/1,000 passengers; 6 carriages/880 passengers), New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Lancaster County. A specially priced ticket provided a round trip fare and entrance to the track. A considerable walk was required to the track and only 70 hacks were available to convey patrons. The grandstand filled quickly, the crowd spreading over both sides of the track over half its distance and several hundred carriages were tied up to the south of the track. The meeting featured a doubles trotting event that was reported as establishing a world record of 2:12.0 (Globe and Belle Hamlin). The day also featured dog and bicycle races..
Old Orchard Beach, Maine – one mile Grand Circuit (1936 – 1949) kite track that operated from 1892 to 1902 and 1936 to 1952 (lights from 1949), built in marshland just off the main tourist drag. The racetrack was constructed on hard clay and horsemen competing there called it the fastest track in the world. In 1935 the track was resurfaced with hundreds of tons of clay and reopened with pari-mutual wagering..
Old Orchard Beach became a stop on the Grand Circuit featuring the fastest horses in the country and also played host to the “Hambletonian Preview Stakes” each year in July. It hosted Billy Direct, Dillon Hall, Nibble Hanover, Kings Counsel and Adios with the track record of 1:57 (27 July 1939) held by immortal trotter Greyhound.
Adios had his inaugural race as a 2yo on the mile oval kite track at Old Orchard Beach in the three heat $5,000 N.T. Fox Stake (21 July 1942). “He flashed under the wire in 2:02½ – just a half second from tying the world’s record for a two year old which had been set by His Majesty in 1932” (2:02.0), from “Adios :The Big Daddy of Harness Racing”. Among his race rivals was Kings Counsel, the two rivals were to meet on many different tracks and engage in numerous fiercely contested heats over the following years. In the second heat Adios led until a few feet from the finish with Kings Counsel winning in 2:01¼ breaking His Majesty’s 2yo race mile record set ten years earlier. The third runoff heat again saw Kings Counsel triumphant in 2:08.0.
Among major races contested on the Old Orchard Beach track during 1930’s/1940’s were National & American Stakes (2&3yo pacers/trotters); Goldsmith Maid – Open Trot; Grand Circuit FFA’s (pacers/trotters) and in 1939 Messenger – Open Trot.
Stockton, California – one mile kite track that operated from 1891 to late 1930s. With its single huge balloon turn and long straightaways, this course was a natural for the lowering of time records. In 1891, numerous trotters mile records were set on this track – yearling : Bell Bird T2:26¼T; 2yo : Arion T2:10¾TT and trotters/trotters mares’ mile record : Sunol, T2:08¼TT. Palo Alto established himself as the champion trotting stallion of the world at Stockton (T2:08¾).
A race which made harness history was held at Stockton in 1893, the immortal McKinney, then aging and tailing off, was sent out against Klamath, Ottinger, Steve Whipple, Shylock and Richmond Jr. The race started Saturday afternoon and finished on Monday. It went to eight heats, and was one of the most gruelling and hotly fought affairs ever witnessed. The first heat required twenty scoreups before Steve Whipple won it, McKinney won the second heat run on Saturday.
It took six heats and countless score ups on Monday to decide the winner. Ottinger won third heat, Klamath the fourth. Ottinger won the fifth, McKinney the sixth, Klamath the seventh. Only three staggered out for the 8th and last round. McKinney, Klamath and Ottinger battled it out in the last heat. McKinney was the winner—and still the champion—by a head. He won the last heat in 2:22, having won the second heat in 2:11¼, which gives some idea of how tired these horses were..
Other kite tracks were located at Rockford, Illinois.; Sturgis, Michigan, Meadville, Pennsylvania and Newark, New York.
Over time, apart from the kite track, there have been a number of other differently shaped tracks other than the routine circular turning tracks. The latest of these is the one turn 1¼m track at Colonial Downs in Williamsburg, Virginia opened in 1997. Times recorded here are often designated with the letter “Z” indicating the 1¼m track size. Race records established at Colonial Downs include:
- Enough Talk’s world trotters race mile of T1:49.3US in 2008 (2014 – Sebastian K T1:49.0US, Pocano Downs)
- Ultimate Falcon’s 1:47.4 (May 1998), fastest ever on Colonial Downs
- Badlands Hanover’s 1:50.0US when becoming the world’s first 1:50 2yo pacer (1998)
- Kiwi trotter Delft’s T1:53.0US (2007)
- Kiwi pacer Oneinamillion’s 1:49.3 (21 June 1998), second NZ bred in 1:50
Other different shaped tracks have included :
- Pear shaped : Good Time Park. A one mile pear shaped track in Goshen, New York State that operated 1927-1979 and hosted the Hambletonian for 26 years from 1930 to 1956 (1943 held at Yonkers). Hambletonian winners at Good Time Park included the immortal Greyhound, Rosalind, Spencer Scott, Titan Hanover, Hoot Mon etc
- Four cornered : Terre Haute, Indiana.. Known as the ‘four cornered track’ due to its shape. Opened as ½ mile track in 1852 and then converted to a mile in 1896, it was the site of many world records in late 1800‘s including Nancy Hanks trotters/trotting mares mile record of T2:04.0TT set in 1892 compared to Mascot’s pacers mile record of 2:04.0 set the same year also at Terre Haute. Dan Patch raced at Terre Haute on two occasions in exhibition miles – as a 6yo on 10 August 1902 (2:01.0) and as an 11yo on 25 July 1907 (2:02¼).
Kite tracks were an experiment that had their day lasting a maximum of sixty years before disappearing completely from the harness racing scene. Likewise, pear shaped, four cornered or most any track configuration aside from routine circular turning tracks (Colonial Downs excepted). Kite tracks in particular were another example of man’s desire to do all that was possible to further maximise the speed of the standardbred.
Peter Craig
4 February 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
