Golden West Trot Explained

Class:Discontinued
Horse Race:Golden West Trot
Location:Arcadia & Inglewood, California
Inaugurated:1946
Race Type:Harness race for standardbred trotters
Distance:1 3/16 miles
(1,911 metres or 9.5 furlongs)
Surface:Dirt, 1/2-mile oval (Santa Anita Park) & 1-mile oval (Hollywood Park)
Track:Santa Anita Park & Hollywood Park Racetrack
Qualification:3 years & older
Purse:$50,000 (1954)

The Golden West Trot is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred trotters aged three and older. It was first run in 1946 with a purse of $50,000 which at the time was the richest offered in the sport. The race final was hosted on an alternating basis, until the final running in 1954,[1] by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, and Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding Golden West Pace.[2]

Historical race events

The only multiple winner of the race was 1951 American Harness Horse of the Year and a future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Pronto Don who won three straight editions of the Golden West Trot between 1951 and 1953.[3]

Records

Most wins by a driver:
Most wins by a trainer:
Stakes record:

Winners of the Golden West Trot

Year
Winner
Age
Driver
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
Track
1954Scotch Victor5Joe O'BrienJoe O'BrienS. A. Camp Farms1 3/16 m.2:22 4/5$32,500 Hol
1953Pronto Don8Benny SchueBenny SchueHayes Fair Acres Stable (Eugene Hayes)1 3/16 m.2:25 3/5$30,550Hol
1952Pronto Don7Benny SchueBenny SchueHayes Fair Acres Stable (Eugene Hayes)1 1/4 m.2:34 4/5$30,650Sa
1951Pronto Don6Benny SchueFay FitzpatrickHayes Fair Acres Stable (Eugene Hayes)1 1/4 m.2:30 3/5$32,000Hol
1950Proximity8Clint HodginsClint HodginsRalph & Gordon Verhurst1 1/4 m.2:31 2/5$50,000Sa
1949Chris Spencer7Billy HaughtonDunbar BostwickDunbar Bostwick1 1/4 m.2:33 4/5$50,000Hol
1948Rodney4Bion ShivelyBion ShivelyR. Horace Johnston1 1/4 m.2:31 3/5$50,000Sa
1947Algiers5Harry C. FitzpatrickHarry C. FitzpatrickBaker Acres Stable (E. J. Baker)1 1/4 m.2:32 3/5 $50,000Hol
1946Kaola 6Carl Hatchell Carl Hatchell S. and W. Stable1 1/4 m.2:32 0/0 $50,000Sa

Notes and References

  1. https://www.si.com/vault/1954/11/15/568661/a-roundup-of-the-weeks-news Sports Illustrated November 15, 1954 article titled "A Roundup of the Weeks News"
  2. http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/5-21-16/sc-rewind-meet-century.html Standardbred Canada SC Rewind May 21, 2016 article titled "Meet of the Century"
  3. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22227602/ Long Beach, California Independent Press-Telegram - November 22, 1953