by John Berry

Gems come in many forms, from amethysts and diamonds to emeralds and sapphires, with countless others worth what one will pay for them.

But there are also other types of gems — in words and stories, themselves — about our sport.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have conversations with many who I consider to be “old-timers,” especially when I was in my younger days, say, 55-60 years ago.

Like the gems listed above, my harness racing gems include, Edgar Leonard, Chase Dean, John Patton, Dick Baker, and dozens and dozens more not quite that old.

They are, mostly, all gone now, but their words live on in my heart and soul and notes for harness racing and now that I have become an old-timer myself, it’s a good time to unearth those gems about the first decade of our signature event, the Hambletonian, with the 100th edition only weeks away.

After Harry O. Reno, William M. Wright and Joe Markey turned their 1923 dream of a meaningful stake for 3-year-old trotters into reality with the first Hambletonian in 1926, yes, countless gems were created during the first decade or so of this grand event.

Of course, the first decade included the historic depression but, nevertheless, the Hambletonian survived, though it took quite some time — 25 years — for harness racing’s premier event to surpass the 1926 purse of $73,451.22, with the 1950 purse being $75,209.12.

During those dark days of the depression, the Hambletonian purse was as low as $25,845.44 in 1934 but began its recovery the next year, only suffering slight bumps in the track in the early-to-mid 1940s during the war.

The inaugural Hambletonian was a feature of the New York State Fair at Syracuse on Aug. 31 and was won by Guy McKinney in straight heats, 2:05 1/4 and 2:04 1/4.

The winner, a son of Guy Axworthy, was owned by Henry Rea and driven by Nat Ray with the winner receiving $45,868.43.

THE UNEARTHED GEMS: Nat Ray was a Canadian born in 1876 in Whitby, ON, who began his career at age 6 with a pony named Queen Mary.

He was, to put it mildly, an all-around horseman whose career spanned six decades with the media labeling him “the man with the brilliant green jacket.”

He was, first, a jockey and steeplechase rider before his entree into the harness racing scene, came to the U.S.A. in 1896, beginning his career in Latonia, KY and Cincinnati, OH.

He rode four American Grand National Steeplechase winners with the scribes describing him as “probably the most accomplished rider that ever sat in a saddle on this continent.”

Traveling to England, thereafter, he won the Grand National there with a bad actor named Aero, who had previously started several races but never finished.

Nat Ray also rode for many elite stables — the James D. Widener being one — and won many top steeplechase events, one with, who many consider one of the best ones ever, Good And Plenty.

He gave up that arena for standardbreds in 1911 and competed on the Grand Circuit and was still competing in New York as late as the 1950s.

Mr. Rea, the owner, wrote a check to Ray for some 10 per cent of the purse and it was also rumored that Ray won another $20,000 from betting on Guy McKinney in the “winter book” at odds of 40-1.

One other “GEM,” Nat Ray was sitting in the home of a Goshen, NY, friend one month before the Hambletonian and offered to bet $1,000 even money against the field that Guy McKinney would win.

In 1927, Iosola’s Worthy, a daughter of Guy Axworthy, as was Guy McKinney, became the first filly to win the Hambletonian, but it took a long, long time to do it.

Scheduled for August in Syracuse, the persistent rainy conditions — five days’ worth in Syracuse — forced a postponement and, finally, this second edition of the Hambletonian took place in Lexington, KY a month later in late September with the filly winning in straight heats, 2:06 1/4 and 2:03 3/4.

Iosola’s Worthy was owned by E. J. Merkle of Columbus, OH, trained by Ben White and driven by Marvin Childs.

THE UNEARTHED GEM: Mr. Merkle bought his prized filly in May for $10,000 and she went on to win $51,307.94 by the end of the season, $33,336 in the Hambletonian, with the purse that year being $54,694.44.

In 1928, the Hambletonian returned to Syracuse, NY, with the purse at $66,226.25.

Spencer, a son of Lee Tide, won in straight heats in the field of 11, with the times being 2:02 1/2 and 2:04.

THE UNEARTHED GEMS: Five of the money winners in this event eventually became celebrated sires with many noted performers on their resumes.

Spencer became a premier sire at Castleton Farm, Guy Abbey (finishing second and eventual sire of the Grey Ghost, Greyhound) resided at Walnut Hall Farm, Scotland (third), also at Walnut Hall Farm, Gaylworthy (fourth) was sold by W. N. Reynolds (of tobacco fame) for export to Europe, and Red Aubrey (fifth) ended up at Village Farm in Pennsylvania.

The winner was owned by David Look and driven by Billy Leese with the owner thanking the driver with a check for $3,000.

The 1929 Hambletonian returned to Lexington, KY, on Oct. 8, 1929 — about three weeks before the stock market crash — with a purse of $55,484.75.

Walter Dear, a son of The Laurel Hall, won this edition of the Hambletonian in straight heats, both in 2:02 2/4.

The winner was bred and owned by William H. Cane and driven to victory by Walter Cox.

THE UNEARTHED GEMS: Volomite was second, Sir Guy Mac, third and Miss Woerner, fourth, all trained by Cox for Cane’s Good Time Stable.

Walter Dear was sold for export to Germany in the fall of 1929 and, for many years, was a big money winner in Europe before entering the breeding shed, where he produced a number of fast performers.

There was a torchlight parade welcoming Cox back home to Goshen, NY, complete with firecrackers, torpedoes, aerial bombs, and sky rockets with red fire illuminating the line of march to the Cox home.

In 1930, the three-cornered track, Good Time Park, was the site of harness racing’s premier event, and, for the first time, the Hambletonian went three heats.

It was held on Aug. 27 as the feature of William H. Cane’s Grand Circuit meeting with the purse being $56,859.84, as sustaining payments before the stock market crash helped sustain the lofty purse.

The winner was Hanover Shoe Farm’s Hanover’s Bertha, a daughter of Peter Volo, who took the final two heats after Larkspur won the first heat in 2:03 3/4.

Hanover’s Bertha won the final two heats, both in 2:03.

Thomas Berry was the winning driver.

THE UNEARTHED GEMS: Hanover’s Bertha eventually earned a mark of 1:59 1/2 and became one of the most famous dams at Hanover, especially after delivering the filly Shirley Hanover, the winner of the 1937 Hambletonian.

In the first heat, Hanover’s Bertha, who had never taken a misstep during her career, made a miscue on the opening turn and finished fifth, a break that was said to be caused by a team effort from other horsemen in the race.

The second heat was a different story as the filly was perfect and never headed with the final heat a duplicate of her earlier win.

By the way, since using a starting gate was more than a decade-and-a half away from use, the infamous start of the second heat took 26 recalls — over 40 minutes — to get underway, as drivers often scored ahead of the pole horse to cause confusion and try and gain an advantage.

It took 16 tries to get her deciding heat underway, leaving no doubt as to her greatness.

In a future column, we’ll tackle Part 2, as we unearth more gems from the early years of the greatest race in all of racing, the Hambletonian!

MAY THE HORSE BE WITH YOU