The Upstate New York Chapter of the United State Harness Writers Association has announced that Robert E. Altizer will be the 23rd horseman inducted into its Harness Racing Hall of Fame on September 1. A presentation will be made to his family in the winner’s circle at Batavia Downs.
Bob Altizer was one of the most prolific horsemen in western New York during the 1960s, '70s and '80s. At age 36, he became (at the time) one of the youngest drivers ever to break the 1,000-win plateau. He set the bar high for his fellow horseman through his multi-faceted operation. Besides training and driving his own stable, he was also his own blacksmith and designed different types of equipment, including an early lift-type race bike that featured a very noticeable arch over the horse’s saddle pad. His many skills and innovations put his 'You and Me Stable' near the top of the charts almost every meet.
Altizer had two nicknames that everyone knew him by: 'Mr. Cool' and 'The Claiming King.' The latter moniker referred to his uncanny ability to select cheap claimers and run them up the ladder. Time and time again, Altizer would turn mediocre horses into solid contenders while leaving his competitors shaking their heads. His most memorable horse to local racing fans was a pacing mare named Swifty.
A native of Kahoka, Missouri, Altizer raced throughout the Midwest before settling into the Batavia/Buffalo circuit. But once there, he won multiple driving and training titles at both tracks. Unfortunately his career was curtailed by a heart problem that developed in the late 1980s and he was forced to roll back his schedule.
His last win came on June 11, 1999 at Vernon Downs with a trotter named La Soeur De Lucy, who won by 10 lengths in 1.59.4.
He retired to Hawkinsville, Georgia where died on June 23, 2004.
Altizer scored 2,227 career wins and won $3,216,745 in purses. But more important than the numbers, he left an indelible mark on the racing scene that people still talk about.
UNY USHWA will announce two more horsemen this year who will be inducted into their Hall at Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.
(USHWA)