by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Tom Crouch, Alan J. Leavitt and Tim Rooney will be enshrined in the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame as part of induction ceremonies on Sunday (July 5) in Goshen, New York. Also being recognized are Miss Easy and Muscles Yankee along with immortals Scott Leighton, George Francis Schreiber, Edward Troye, Col. Richard West, Lewis Williams, Gen. William Temple Withers, Big Towner and Nan’s Catch. John Berry and Leon Zimmerman will be inducted into the Communicators’ Corner.

Crouch showed early talent as a keen appraiser of horseflesh and in 1975 he acquired Kentuckiana Farms, which has been a home to such industry stars as Riyadh, Western Dreamer, Harmonious and Staying Together. Crouch’s name can be found on the breeders’ line for six Breeders Crown winners. In 1989, Crouch co-founded the Kentucky Standardbred Sales Company, bringing new excitement to the annual yearling sales, and also serves as a director of such organizations as the Hambletonian Society.

Leavitt is primarily known today as the president and general manager of Walnut Hill Ltd., partnered by his wife Meg, which stands a host of stallions such as Cambest, the fastest horse of all time, and also produces the many champions with the surname “Hall,” such as Andover, Cantab, and Cash, to name just three champions. This all came after his stewardship of Lana Lobell Farms, where such stallions as Speedy Crown and No Nukes stood, and where the champion trotter Mack Lobell began his life. Leavitt also has long served the sport with participation on many prestigious boards, including the U.S. Trotting Association Board of Directors.

Rooney earned his accolades chiefly for his leadership of Yonkers Raceway, just north of New York City. At one time, Yonkers, along with its Long Island “cousin” Roosevelt Raceway, were the premier tracks in the sport; when fortunes turned, Rooney steadfastly rejected offers to sell the valuable property and kept Yonkers racing. With the coming of VLTs (video lottery terminals) to Empire City at Yonkers Raceway, the track once again offers top-level purses and attracts premier horses for its signature races. Rooney also serves on the U.S. Trotting Association Board of Directors.

The Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame is located at 240 Main Street in Goshen. Housed in a Tudor carriage house, the museum interprets the history of harness racing throughout the world and is home to several priceless collections. Among them is sterling silver Faberge items created for Czar Nicholas of Russia and given to New Yorker C.K.G. Billings when he raced his fine trotters in Russia. Also at the museum is what is believed to be the largest single collection of Currier & Ives equine prints.

One of the museum’s most popular exhibits is the racing simulator theater, where guests get a 3-D presentation of racing as if they are driving in a race, feeling the wind in their hair and jiggling along with every step of the speeding horse. In addition, the Carriage Room will host the Richard A. Botto Retrospective, a collection of paintings by the well-known contemporary equine artist. Botto will welcome guests from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission to the museum is free. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

HOF Field Ready: Hall of Fame horsemen John Campbell, Jim Doherty, Clint Galbraith, Wally Hennessey, Mike Lachance, Ron Pierce, Ray Remmen, and John Simpson Jr. have accepted invitations to compete in the annual Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot on Sunday at Historic Track in Goshen. Following the race, the drivers will be available to meet fans and sign autographs at tables located adjacent to the grandstand.

There will be racing at Historic Track from Wednesday through Sunday. Post time is 1 p.m. daily.

Historic Track opened in 1838 and is the country’s oldest active horse racing track. There has been trotting horse racing on the streets of Goshen since the Revolutionary War era. True to history, there is no betting and stables are open to the public. The track, at 44 Park Place, is on the National Park Service’s registry of historic landmarks.

Admission is free for children; adults are $5 and admission price includes a racing program. The stable area is open to visitors, to see the racehorses up close as they prepare for competition.

For more information about the activities at the museum and track, visit the Web sites www.harnessmuseum.com or www.goshenhistorictrack.com.

Book Signings: Recently published authors Dave Brower and Kim Rinker will be on hand for a book signing and meet-and-greet as part of the Hall of Fame Day celebrations at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame on Sunday. They will be available at the museum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (post time next door at Historic Track) and from 3-5:30 p.m. before the induction ceremony.

Brower, the morning-line oddsmaker and track handicapper at the Meadowlands, wrote “Harnessing Winners: The Complete Guide To Handicapping Harness Races.” It includes a detailed tour through the more complex methods of analyzing Standardbred races, highlighting the importance of watching replays and qualifying races, and teaching racing fans how to spot good and bad value when identifying wagering opportunities.

Rinker has been involved with Chicago horse racing since 1984, both as a writer and as a participant. Her new book, “Chicago’s Horse Racing Venues,” provides an evocative glimpse into Chicago’s rich racing history and a behind-the-scenes look at the people and horses involved.

On The Radio: John Campbell and Wally Hennessey will be guests on a show called Horse Talk on WTBQ from 8-9 a.m. on Saturday. The popular show is hosted by Chip Watson, Peter Cashman and June Evers. The station serves all of Orange County, New York, and parts of northern New Jersey. It can be found at 1110 AM or 99.3 FM, as well as online at www.wtbq.com.