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I devoured "Crazy Good" this past weekend and I will hereby add my voice to the chorus of those praising Charles Leerhsen for his effort. The book about Dan Patch isn't just good because it's about harness racing 100 years ago. It's good because of the picture it paints of America (and Canada) during that time. And, let's face it, few of us around today are experts at what went on back then.

One of the points in the book that I found particularly fascinating was the fact that Dan Patch once raced against his father, Joe Patchen. It got me thinking-- as we near Father's Day-- about some of the father-son combinations we'd love to see in modern times. Western Ideal versus Rocknroll Hanover. Tell All versus Real Desire. Bettor's Delight versus Kenneth J. The list goes on.

So let's put our knuckleheads together here and come up with a top-ten list of father-son match races we'd like to see. The horses all have to be post-1970. And the second part of your homework assignment is to tell me whether any such races ever have taken place in this age of young sires.

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Bob Marks said...

For clarification purposes, the Nihilator that won the Wilson was unreal.
That version might have beaten his father at that chronological point of development though thereafter the result might have been different.

It's just like the 6-year-old versions of Overcall and Whata Baron beat horses they might not have approached in their younger years.

posted at 11:30 AM on May 28th 2008

Dean said...

Watching old clips of Most Happy Fella, I would like to see him and Cam Fella race. They seemed to be both similar in terms of guts and determination.

More modern, I'd put all the chips in to watch Artsplace and Art Major race.

As an aside, and a throwback to seemingly ancient times, Admiral's Express is in to go in an Open event at Kawartha Downs. He has raced in FFA events every year since the year 2000. Back then he raced and defeated horses like Goliath Bayama, Dragon Again, DM Dilinger, Camotion and many others. I think in Opens or high conditioned races as a 9 and 10 year old, he defeated one or two of their fast class sons. Quite amazing in harness racing in the 21st century, and a heck of a lot more like Dan Patch than the 14 or 15 starts and retired-to-stud horses we see now.

posted at 4:47 PM on May 27th 2008

Patrick Gordon said...

I see several people also want to see Naitross/Nihilator.

I really think Niatross would beat Nihilator.
Niatross lost 2 races at 3. One making a break and one going over a hub rail. He didn't get beat head to head. Nihilator did get beat head to head in the 2 races he lost, once at to by Dragon's Lair and once at three by Praised Dignity (I think?)

Just my thoughts.

posted at 4:05 PM on May 27th 2008

Patrick Gordon said...

I know these are supposed to be today's sires but the father/sons I really would have liked to see race are:

Niatross/Nihilator
Albatross/Sonsam
Bret Hanover/Strike Out

posted at 4:01 PM on May 27th 2008

Allan said...

Niatross and Nihalator. Niatross was a great horse. Nihalator was a very good horse that was well managed. With the same equipment and race bike, the ol' man would teach his son a lesson.

posted at 2:23 PM on May 27th 2008

Bob Marks said...

Andrew one night at Roosevelt, 7-year-old Rendesvous Truder faced his 4-year-old son Rendesvous Mark and get this Rendesvous Truder was a gelding. At the time of racing that is. He was probably gelded as an obviously aggressive adolescent.

There are other such stories.

I'd have long been curious to watch Niatross and Nihilator matched up at both in their 2-year-old forms and their 3-year-old forms...

I think the Nihilator I saw in the Wilson would have beaten the Niatross I saw in his Wilson but later on it might have been different....

posted at 2:17 PM on May 27th 2008

mike steffens said...

Artsplace and Art Major

posted at 2:13 PM on May 27th 2008

Crazy Good Times 100 Years Ago

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