BROODMARE “CENTURION” : COLWYN BAY

The dam of the world’s first millionaire harness horse Cardigan Bay is the broodmare centurion under review – Colwyn Bay (143) sits fourth on the NZ broodmare’s centurions listing.

Whilst Cardigan Bay’s worldwide exploits represent almost sixty percent of Colwyn Bay’s progeny’s victories, she achieved considerable success with a couple of her other foals.

COLWYN BAY (1947 Josedale Dictator/Pleasure Bay; family of Trilby, CF N18) : eleven foals, six raced, five winners, one in two minutes, millionaire. Bred by Alec Jopp, all foals bred by Davey Todd except Brides Bay and Bold Bay (brothers Davey and Sandy Todd).

Colwyn Bay’s sire Josedale Dictator left one of NZ’s best trotters in Dictation and her dam unraced Pleasure Bay was by trotting stallion Quite Sure, eight times leading NZ sire of trotters. Pleasure Bay’s dam Helens Bay, was a good seven win trotter by Guy Parrish. This  leads one to believe Colwyn Bay and descendants would lean towards the trotting persuasion however this generally proved not to be the case.

Pleasure Bay left nine classic progeny, apart from Colwyn Bay they included dam (Baylight) of a NZ Cup winner in Globe Bay (1972) and Snow Jane, dam of ID Trotting Grand Final winner Bay Johnny, Snow Globe second in ID Trotters Grand Final (owned by leading thoroughbred trainer Hector [HA] Anderton) and third dam of NZ Cup winner Hands Down (1980).

Colwyn Bay a first foal was trained at Matuara by Davey Todd for Alec Jopp. In six starts winning, four at four, she won the first three at Invercargill (1½m, best MR of 2:12.6 at first start), one in which Black Watch’s dam Rosehaven finished fourth and Wyndham (unplaced favourite in Gore Cup); two starts at five for seconds in Invercargill Presidents Hcp and Wyndham’s Hunter Hcp off 60 yards, beaten a head by Kissing Cup.

Due to age and failing health, Jopp gave Colwyn Bay to brothers Davey and Sandy Todd for breeding purposes. Her first foal an unraced colt (1954) was followed by her failing to conceive to Logan Derby standing at George Youngson’s property. The following season Colwyn Bay’s return service was to first season (in NZ) stallion Hal Tryax that Youngson purchased for £3,500. Hal Tryax sired notables such as great race winning mare Robin Dundee (1:59.0, NZ Oaks, NZFFA, Auckland Cup, ID Pacers Grand Final dead heat with Jay Ar, inaugural Miracle Mile winner, dam of Genghis Khan) and Tactile (five Derbies : NZ/GN/SA/VIC/NSW) as well as Cardigan Bay who was Colwyn Bay’s 6 November 1956 colt foal.

Colwyn Bay’s male progeny included :

Cardigan Bay, with several books written about an outright champion, this resume will be an overview of his career highlights. He raced for twelve seasons (3yo-12yo) starting on one hundred and fifty four occasions for eighty victories, twenty five seconds and twenty two thirds. Gelded at five months, broken in at seven and a half months, his race day debut was delayed until he was three, a fourth at Wyndham (in harness) on 28 November 1959. His first stake money (£40) was won in a saddle pace at the Vincent Jockey Club meeting on 11 January 1960 (second beaten a nose). His first of two victories at three was three months later at his fifth start, 2 April 1960, Winton Three Year Old Stakes (first division). Winning his next start at Roxburgh, finishing the season with a record of 8 : 2 – 1 – 0, $751.

At four (1960/1), a second and three victories (Wyndham, Roxburgh, Forbury Park) from four starts before his sale in April 1961 to Merv and Audrey Dean of Auckland for £2,500 (£2,000 with two £250 contingencies) with Peter Wolfenden taking over training duties.

At five (1961/2), continued his winning sequence taking it to ten equalling War Buoy’s NZ record. Victories included NZFFA (the day public grandstand was on fire during the race) and Auckland Cup (12 yards). Competed in the Inter Dominion Championships at Gloucester Park, Perth, Western Australia, in the care of Sydney trainer Bill Wilkins. Cardigan Bay easily won his first two heats prior to being drawn to meet unbeaten James Scott on the third night. Cardigan Bay was involved in a disastrous track work accident which could have ended his racing career resulting in his withdrawal from the ID carnival. The injury resulted in one hip being permanently lower than the other. Seasonal record : seven wins of nine NZ starts plus a second, two wins from two starts in Australia.

At six (1962/3), fifth in NZ Cup, second in the NZFFA, winner of Allan Matson and Smithson Hcps at NZ Cup carnival; second in the Auckland Cup (48 yds). NZ seasonal record : twelve starts for seven wins and four seconds prior to his second trip to Australia : eleven starts yielded nine wins and a second; NSW Summer Cup (24 yds), 1963 Adelaide Interdominions (two heats and final), VIC Lady Brooks Invitation (30 yds), four further Sydney wins and second in Lord Mayors Cup (48 yds) – record Australian seasonal earnings of $20,760.

At seven (1963/4), third horse to win four races at NZ Cup carnival (Cello Sydney Wilkes, Red Shadow; later years  Tutira, Gentle George) – NZ Cup (54 yds), NZFFA, Allan Matson Hcp (54 yds, 13 furs world record), Ollivier Hcp (60 yds). Hutt Park on 17 December 1963 (4½ furs track) became fastest standardbred outside North America, Australasian record 1:56.2TT mile (prior to NZ Cup, 1:57.6TT at Cambridge [5 furs] equalled Caduceus Addington [6 furs] record set in 1959). Second Auckland Cup (78 yds) win was followed by his final NZ start, winner of Pezaro Memorial (60 yds) at Alexandra Park in January 1964 (NZ : 14 : 10 – 1 – 1).

The 1964 ID’s in Melbourne produced a heat win, one of three during third Australian campaign. During the championships it was announced that he had been sold on lease (to be returned to NZ at completion of racing at no more than age 13) to American interests for £35,800 (US$100,000) – syndicate of Stanley Dancer’s. His complete Australasian record showed sixty starts (47 NZ/20 AUS), forty three wins (29 NZ/14 AUS), nine seconds (8 NZ/1 AUS) and three thirds (1 NZ/2 AUS) for earnings of NZ £36,993¼/AUS £24,940 (equiv of US$157,616).

In North America at eight (1964), won at Yonkers on debut, winner of Good Time Pace, National Championship Pace, Governors Cup, defeated Overtrick in Dan Patch Pace while Overtrick won the Encore. Seasonal record : seven wins, four seconds, four thirds from seventeen starts, $160,750.

At nine (1965), won Bye Bye Byrd Pace, National Pacing Derby, Nassau Pace – Roosevelt; at Yonkers Dan Patch, Hal Dale, Bye Bye Byrd; at Hollywood Park won three of four starts including American Pacing Classic and Stepping Stone Pace in 1:57.2US his fastest winning mile time, a world record for an aged gelding on a mile track. Seasonal record of nine wins, $208,080.

At ten (1966), Cardigan Bay became first horse to win all three legs of Yonkers International Series – International, Good Time and National Championship Paces. Defeated Bret Hanover in the Pace of the Century before 36,795 patrons at Yonkers, Bret Hanover winning Revenge Pace at Roosevelt with Cardy third. Won Bye Bye Byrd and Billy Direct at Yonkers;  second consecutive year won National Pacing Derby and Nassau Pace at Roosevelt while placed second in the American Pacing Classic (True Duane winner, Bret Hanover third) at Hollywood Park. Seasonal record : ten wins, three seconds, seven thirds from twenty one starts, $268,725 (lifetime $795,171).

At eleven (1967), won Canada’s then richest race Provincial Cup at Windsor Raceway; Washington Park Derby at Chicago. Seasonal record : four wins, two seconds, four thirds from thirteen starts, $109,676 ($904,847), ninety five thousand short of the one million marker.

At twelve (1968), won the seven races he required to take his earnings to $1m, Valley Forge, adios Butler (Roosevelt), Provincial Cup (Windsor, second time), James P Clark Memorial (Liberty Bell), features at Brandywine and Pocono Downs before on 14 September 1968 at Freehold he raced for the final time winning the Freehold Special taking his earnings to $1,000,837. Cardigan Bay retired the only horse to defeat the three USA. Hall of Fame horses of his era in Overtrick, Bret Hanover and Meadow Skipper. He was aged Pacer of the Year in USA in 1965 and 1968.

A month later it was by formal proclamation, “Cardigan Bay Day” at Yonkers, New York. The following evening Cardigan Bay walked down a long red carpet, appearing on the Ed Sullivan television show with Stanley Dancer and the Beach Boys before an audience of 20m viewers.

Despite Stanley Dancer and Dr Siciliano wishing to retain him at Egyptian Acres New Jersey, as originally agreed with Audrey Deans, Cardigan Bay returned home to a hero’s welcome in New Zealand arriving 17 January 1970 at Wellington. Following travel throughout NZ including exhibition parades, Cardigan Bay lived out his life at Sir Henry Kelleher’s (brewery baron and philanthropist) Puketutu Island property with his death coming aged 32 in 1988. New Zealand Post issued a postage stamp in 1970 to recognise Cardigan Bay’s achievements.

Cardigan Bay was one of the inaugural inductees into the NZ Trotting Hall Of Fame and an inductee to USTA Hall of Fame (Immortal).

Swan Bay, 2:02.2US, $78,925, eight NZ/thirty three NA wins. The winner of eight races in NZ commenced racing as a three year old with two starts the same day at Kumara Jockey Club’s January 1962 meeting. As favourite he placed fourth (£10) and unplaced in the other start. Major NZ race won was the two mile Ranfurly Hcp (2:13 class) at Auckland’s 1965 New Year’s Eve meeting before export to North America in early 1966

Full Tide, exported and raced only in North America where winner of six minor races, 2:09.3US, $981

Bold Bay, winner of first race as a three year old at Winton for Davey Todd and twice at Invercargill (2:04.2, 1 mile) at four before exported to North America. The winner of a further eleven races, best mile of 2:00.1US, $42,416

Colwyn Bay’s fillies included :

Milford Haven, unraced dam of two foals : Bayswater, unraced dam of twelve foals including Arden Bay, four wins (Kindergarten Stakes); grand dam of Lord Miles, 1:55.1US, $143,072, WA Christmas Gift; Kaye At Quinns, 1: 57.1TT; My Arden Glen, NSW Christmas Gift; third dam of Double Game, 1:51.0US, $216,625; and Harbour, unraced dam of Harbour Hanover, 2:04.1US, Oamaru Juvenile

Thule Bay, unraced; dam of seven foals, three winners Young Cardigan (ten NZ wins, 2:01.3US, $150,260), Cardigan Bridge (six NZ wins, 2:01.1US, $38,986) and Dame Cardigan (two wins, 2:08.8, $1,420; dam of Decision Time, eleventh and last foal, ten wins, 2:00.1, $157,663, Messenger)

Margot Bay, one unplaced start as a pacer; dam of one foal Cardigan Belle, third dam of Impact, 1:57.5, $62,448, Southland Oaks. Impact is the dam of nine foals, five winners including Valachi (1:54.2US, $120,376), Another Impact (1:54.0, $47,988), Freemason (1:54.7, $63,773), Make N Impact (1:55.8, $83,623, Ladyship Stakes; dam of Make A Bundle, 1:55.0US, $179,576)

Bride’s Bay, exported to Victoria, unraced, dam of ten live foals, four winners including Cardigan Ben (six wins) and Sea Bride (two wins, 2:01.0, dam of four winners – Dave Sands [nineteen wins, 1:59.7, $56,969, NSW Border Derby], Gracesea [four wins; grand dam of Moreton Bay, VIC Platinum – 2T, T2:00.4, $62,220])

Peter Craig

29 April 2020

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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