Reply With QuoteSorry I cannot help you with this. I had a call last year from the farm that had a yearling of ours he was being prepared for the sales.
They said this colt paces almost every day when he is being exercised, he is a thoroughbred?
Okay, I have a strange one for the forum. I am trying to win a bet with a friend.
During the middle or perhaps late 1980s, I distinctly remember a situation of a thoroughbred racehorse being converted into either a pacer or a trotter and competing in what was, I suppose, an exhibition race, maybe at Harold Park.
I definitely remember this, as unlikely as it seems.
Can anyone else remember this? If so, can you remember the horse and the details?
I have tried the thoroughbred forums and a few people vaguelly recall it, but no one can say for sure.
Sorry I cannot help you with this. I had a call last year from the farm that had a yearling of ours he was being prepared for the sales.
They said this colt paces almost every day when he is being exercised, he is a thoroughbred?
In the 70's and 80's at Harold Park they sometimes staged one mile time trials. In these trials a single pacer ( usually a top class one) was set against a galloping horse racing beside it to stir it up . I believe they were thoroughbreds and usually half way through the time trial the galloper would drop off and another galloping horse joined in in an attempt to put some sort of pressure on the pacer to go faster and therefore run a much faster time for the mile.
I think that is what you might be thinking of. I've been around in the industry since a kid and I do not remember a "pacing thoroughbred" nor do any of my friends. The effort and time that it would take if it were even possible for one gimmick race would be hardly worth the effort at all. So my short answer to your precise question is - no you are mistaken , it did not happen.
Last edited by David Summers; 08-18-2011 at 12:12 AM.
I don't remember such a horse either Breno though, rather interestingly, if you go back far enough you'll find that an overtly a large number of today's best/fastest Pacing families actually trace to TB mares.
Other horses breeds including some TB's definitely show an inclination to Pace, albeit comparitively roughly as compared to Standardbreds. Morgans will often Pace, Tenessee Walkers perform what's termed a Stepping Pace and some Dressage horses (most often warmbloods I guess? ) can also Pace in a similar fashion too.
So do Camel's Triple if it was an exhibition race it would have been a standardbred under saddle and someone thinking it was a galloper as it was ridden
I have no recollection whatsoever of such a thing as something this odd would easily be remembered.
Get in touch with John Dumesny he should be able to find some record of it from Harold Park it would give him something to do ha ha .
Have whoever you want on but don't ever have yourself on
Hmm, well, maybe it was all a dream!
I'd have staked my life on it, though.
AC - hope that bet you had about this was a small one ;-)
If you realise how long it takes to train an actual standardbred horse to pace properly in hopples and all the gear needed , then the thought of even considering trying to do this with a thoroughbred (could take years) makes no sense. All this effort , time and expense for a gimmick race that would last just two minutes !
I would have no idea if this did happen, but it is highly possible that the TB was broken to harness and exhibited as a trotter, any horse can be broken to harness and all horses trot. AC did state he wasnt sure whether it was pacing or trotting. highly unlikely it was pacing though.Originally Posted by Area Code
I am not sure of the horse you are talking about Area Code but I have driven a TB as a trotter and could it trot! This was back in the 70's. I forget the sire of the TB but the mare was later mated with Scottish Hanover, I think?
It's nice to occasionally have this sort of "different" thread sometimes, but really it's all a bit pointless. There is a LOT more going on in the harness racing world right now ( both good and VERY bad) that we should be focusing our attention on. If we are here on these forums we are here for the purpose of speaking about relevant true harness racing matters.
No deference to the OP and those that have posted their thoughts here , including myself, but let's conclude this silly topic.
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