from Plainridge Park

Plainville, MA — In January 1896 the New York Times observed that “Boston is more truly the hub of the sulky than of the universe.” Throughout the previous century Greater Boston had been at the forefront of trotting. In 1818 Boston Blue had ventured from Massachusetts to Gotham and become the sport’s first three minute trotter. A national sporting publication noted that Boston “trotting men are gentlemen,” as opposed to the “roguery” of New York and Philly.

At least two of the local trotting tracks were well known to the nation. Medford’s Mystic Park was the venue where Goldsmith Maid established a world record in 1874, an event which was front page news in New York and Philadelphia. Beacon Park, located in Allston, had opened a few years earlier. In 1882 it hosted a feature trot for the unheard of purse of $10,000. A handbill for the event claimed that “Nine of the fastest and most celebrated trotting horses in the world will contend.” The race was won by Smuggler, owned by H.S. Russell of nearby Milton.

Boston was also the home of J. Malcolm Forbes, among the most prominent horse owners in the nation. Forbes sent shock waves through the industry when he paid a six figure price to purchase Arion. More importantly, he owned such notable trotters as Peter The Great and Nancy Hanks. The latter was the first to trot a mile in under 2:05, and she accomplished the feat using a sulky with pneumatic tires. That type of tire, which revolutionized the sport, was developed in Worcester, and was first used in Sudbury. Today, Forbes’ former training center in Canton has been preserved and is better known as the Prowse Farm.

The Times was not just looking back at Massachusetts’ accomplishments in 1896, the paper was also looking ahead. A new, state of the art harness racing venue was to open later that year in the Readville section of Boston. The Readville Trotting Park would, for the first time, bring the Grand Circuit to Massachusetts. During the second meeting ever held at Readville the pacer Star Pointer became harness racing’s first sub-2:00 performer. Crowds swelled there during the Grand Circuit meetings, with attendance averaging 6,000 per day in a facility with a 5,000 seat grandstand. To put that in context, during those years the Red Sox averaged 5,300 fans per game in a 9,000 seat venue. In 1903, Boston was literally the hub of the trotting universe, when Lou Dillon became the sort’s first 2:00 trotter. The event was front page news, not just in Boston and Worcester, but in more than two dozen newspapers throughout the nation.

Ten years ago, Mayor Tom Menino, along with members of the Boston City Council, and representatives of the New England harness racing industry, gathered to unveil a plaque commemorating the feats accomplished at the Readville Trotting Park. A few years later, the Massachusetts legislature acted to preserve harness racing in the state. Just as the New York Times did more than a century ago, the industry takes a look back and remembers its rich heritage. At the same time, today also represents a promising future. Nine of the fastest and most celebrated trotting horses in the world will contend in the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot.

A world record is an open question but not out of the question. However, rain or shine the spirit of Goldsmith Maid and Smuggler, of J. Malcolm Forbes and H.S. Russell, will be present. And once again, at least for a few minutes early Friday evening, Massachusetts will be the hub of the trotting universe.