SC Rewind: The Diary Of J L Van

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Published: September 11, 2010 11:10 am EDT

In this week's Rewind, Robert Smith reviews the 1948 season of an outstanding horse using the old "diary" format as it may have been done back then

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It was quite customary in the so called "old days" for people to write in diaries or daily ledgers as a means of keeping track of their activities and for recording other bits and pieces of useful information. It was often a quick way to settle a question where your memory may not have been as infallible as you thought. I have chosen this week to chronicle the harness racing season of a horse in that sort of old time format. The dates and facts are all based on actual records while some of the commentary is added in an attempt to make it seem more realistic.

In 1948 J.L. "Jack" Waples of Midland, ON brought out a pretty good three-year-old pacer named JR Van and raced him at a number of race meetings that year. Although that was 62 years ago, the colt's driver is still around, he being Jack's eldest son Keith G. Waples a man who does not usually require a lengthy introduction H e was just 24 at that time.

Long before he first hit the track, J L Van had a rather interesting history started. Mr. Roy Hales of Dutton, ON, the owner of his dam Betty Grattan, decided he wanted to raise one foal and then give the mare to Ray and Jack, the young sons of his good friend Duncan Campbell who had raised the mare. Betty Grattan was bred to Mr Van, a horse mainly known for his siring of trotting offspring, despite the fact that she was a pacer. The resultant foal, raised by the Campbells, was named R E Van after Mr. Hales, the owner. He was subsequently sold to noted London horse owner and breeder Alex Parsons, who immediately renamed him Pine Ridge Van as was his custom to match up with his stable name.

While in the ownership of Mr. Parsons, his trainer Lew James broke the colt and trained him on the trot. One day a nearby passing train frightened the young colt and he took off pacing, a sign of things to come. Later he was sold at a Parsons auction to his next owner, J L Waples, who promptly renamed him J L Van based on his name "Jack Lloyd ". That was the end of the name changes and also he forever remained a pacer, and a pretty good one I might add.

Here is how excerpts from the Diary might have looked for 1948:

  • Aug. 14 - Took J L Van to Hamilton to start for the first time. He raced good and finished 2-3, last heat in 2:18. Purse was $150.00. Jack Mehlenbacher' s horse won the feature.
  • Aug. 26 - Went to Peterborough and stayed three days. Colt went three trips and finished 3-2-3 for $200. He raced real good again and looks like he'll do. Lots of horses, Harry Ingles and Orval Fallis won several heats each.
  • Sept. 6 - Left early for Elmira Fair, good drive getting there. J.L. got his first win in the third trip, finished second the first two and paced in 2:23.2. Keith won two trips with Edward's horse Hal Stout.
  • Sept. 8 - Headed into Coldwater today, nice to be closer to home. Lots of people there to visit with. The colt won all three heats today and picked up $40 as the purse was $80. Put him in for Barrie next week.
  • Sept. 14 - Trucked to Barrie, got there early. Finished 2-1 fastest trip in 2:21.3 and the purse was $125. Won two with Bonnie G Can too. Celia Lee, Earl Rowe's mare won all three in her class.
  • Sept. 17 - Went to Oshawa fair, two days of racing. Colt raced good finished 1-1-2 fastest in 2:19 going for $250.
  • Sept. 23 - Down to Lindsay, money a little better as they went for $300. J L finished 1-2-1. Best purse so far picked up a cheque for $140. Heading to Picton.
  • Sept. 28 - Raced at Picton today and the colt won all three heats going for $290. Paced his quickest of the year in middle heat 2:16.3 (season's record). Oxford Lad won FFA for Burns McKane.
  • Oct. 6 - Drove to Teeswater and colt won all three trips, $250 purse so did OK here. Paced every heat around 2:17. Last start at the fairs today.
  • Nov. 16 - Took the horses to Dufferin and this will be last move this year. Started J L Van today and won both heats.

J L Van finished his three-year-old season in November at Dufferin Park, which was his 10th stop in a little over three months. That summer and fall he faced the starter 31 times and won 19 heats finishing second 10 times and was third three times. The only time he was out of the money was on his last start of the season. His season's earnings amounted to $868.92, which equals out to about $28 per start. I can't help but wonder how much the horses who followed him all season made!!

What was the rest of his career like? He was eventually sold to Pembroke, ON owner T.E. McCool after his four-year-old season and went on to a rather lengthy and productive career often driven by Floyd Milton and later "Frenchy" Leboeuf and Albert Rogers. There was even an instance in later years where trainer Milton was racing at Buffalo and needed a catch driver as he had multiple entries in a race. Who better to fill the seat? ...And YES, J L Van came from the back of the pack with his former driver at the controls for an upset win! At the age of six, he took a record of 2:05.4, which was considered a major accomplishment back in those days.

Keith Waples, who has sat behind quite a few since J L Van, recently said in his usual concise manner, "He was a very nice horse."

Old diaries are great reservoirs of history. If anyone has one, it should never be thrown away.

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