Harness Racing's Strangest Sights

My dad Stanley Lewis was out jogging one morning when I saw the horse go flying down the backside on a dead. gallop.Seemed dad's cigarette had fell down into the crotch of his coverall's and set them on fire and he was holding the lines with one hand and trying to put out the fire with the other.I remember that horse never needed a big excuse to run away with you if he got rolling.Don Larkin said he needed a piece of barbed wire in his mouth just to post parade him.

im not a horseman,,but how about a racetrack riot and more,

blue bonnets montreal mid 70's.....a photo finish with a horse named Stuyvesant went horribly wrong....i was at the finish line that night,,,the judges clearly erred.....so, benches and tables go flying back inside and on the apron....cops and security later,,fans unhappy for sure

..same track, same era, the track promotion giving away mobile home on a sunday afternoon card,,,,draw made after 7th race,,,,,losing fan ballots begin to wind swirl on the track as next race comes down the stretch....horses bolt, including Count Clay Yves Filion....total disaster...race refunded..

and one more for fun,
mid-90's hot august saturday night at Greenwood......my best friend at track happens to be blind.....pwoere outage hit track as were in line to bet......everyone else there begins shouting and carrying on,,,while my blind friend Ricky just asks,,,'whats the heck is the problem, ive gotta bet the late double'
jctoronto

Last year I was racing at West Meadows in Regina, when my right hopple broke. It was flopping around and got hung up on the shaft, HF Zeligs Glory was still going steady and strong, so I drove on, finished second by a nose. About 30 years ago, my dad Gerald was driving his best mare Brooks Joy when the front hanger broke, the hopple dropped off and she picked it up on her back foot, dad grabbed the hopple to keep it from dropping and won the race!! Guess he's still the best!!

Owned a horse named Tru Nan's Bret, always raced him from the back as he had a great late move.
It was at the old Orangeville track, going down the back side he started to make his big move..I still laugh remembering what the announcer said, it went something like this....and here come Tru Nan's Bret making a big move from the back, 3 high and moving up...where did he go....Tru Nan's Bret has left the course......seems he was done early that Sunday afternoon and left the track through the gate where the tractor would put off....needless to say I got called to judges.....they were trying not to laugh when I entered the office....then finally broke into a roar and could barely get it out...qualify him 3 times.... I sold him before I left the barn that day..I guess I got the last laugh..

That's Garth Gordon in the photo above. He tells me it's 1974 at Greenwood. He was driving Kenwood Coppery when the line broke. Jumping on the horse's back and pulling him up seemed like the best option!

Great clip. I remember the time at Freehold where a horse got loose and went into the driver's stand.