Ohio Governor John Tod Elevated Harness Racing
Governor's Sweetser Won 1877 Cleveland Grand Circuit Pace
Sep 25, 2008
Sweetser helped Ohio Governor John Tod put pacing on the Grand Circuit when trotting was king. Ohio's top official entered Sweetser, his talented gray gelding pacer, in the 1877 Cleveland Grand Circuit harness races and declared an open pacing contest.
At that time, pacing was the little brother of harness racing's trotting class. Governor Tod thought his Sweetser was as good a harness horse as any, as a pacer. And pace he would in Cleveland. Sweetser won the $1,000 open pace, putting the struggling gait of pacing back on the harness racing map.
Pacing's Big Four
In 1878, it was much more readily agreed that open pacing races should be part of the Standardbred Grand Circuit.
Four pacers, in particular, were responsible for bringing pacing into the limelight, elevating the gait to nearly the same level as trotting. Sleepy Tom, Mattie Hunter, Rowdy Boy, and Lucy were the original pacers known as the Big Four.
Their pacing performances enhanced interest in the gait some twenty years before the public was exposed to the startling accomplishments of the phenom named Dan Patch. There were other early notable pacers, such as Sorrel Dan, Sleepy George, Bay Sally, Buffalo Girl, Flora Belle, plus Sweetser, who helped raise the numbers of pacing fans. Their influence kept elevating the pacer's place in harness racing.
The Little Brown and Jugette
The Delaware County Agricultural Society moved its fairgrounds from Powell, Ohio to Delaware in 1937. There, an attorney with family Standardbred interests and his friend, a newspaperman, laid plans to build a world class harness racing track.
The attorney, Joseph Neville, and the newspaperman, Henry C. Thomson, managing editor of the Delaware Gazette, enlisted Rollie McNamara to design the track. Neville's Standardbred connections brought Grand Circuit horses to compete at the Delaware facility.
It was an instant hit. Neville concentrated on the pacing side of harness racing because he believed trotting was getting the majority of Grand Circuit attention. He and Thomson campaigned to establish a pacing competition equal to the status of trotting's Hambletonian.
The Little Brown Jug and Jugette were born.
Jugette Winners Began in 1971
1971 --- Jefferson Time --------1984 --- Naughty But Nice ----- 1999 --- Maudlin Hanover
1972 --- Romalle Hanover ---- 1985 --- Amneris ---------------- 2000 --- Eternal Camnation
1973 --- All Alert ------------------ 1986 --- Anniecrombie --------- 2001 --- Pleasure Chest
1974 --- Handle With Care ---- 1987 --- Ambro Feather ---------2002 --- Always Cam
1975 --- Silk Stockings --------- 1988 --- Leah Almahurst ------- 2003 --- Numeric Hanover
1976 --- Misty Raquel ----------- 1990 --- Lady Genius ----------- 2004 --- Glowing Report
1977 --- Mistletoe Shalee ------1991 --- Sara Loren Rd. -------- 2005 --- Just Wait Kate
1978 --- Passing Glance -------1992 --- So Fresh -----------------2006 --- Eternity's Delight
1979 --- Roses Are Red ------- 1993 --- Towner's Image ------- 2007 --- Western Graduate
1980 --- Toy Poodle ------------- 1994 --- Electric Slide ----------- 2008 --- Good News Lady
1981 --- Watering Can ----------1995 --- Magic Shopper
1982 --- Three Diamonds ----- 1996 --- Paige Nicole Q
1983 --- Turn The Tide --------- 1997 --- Stienam's Place
The Little Brown Jug, for colts and geldings, and the Jugette for fillies, is held the third week in September in Delaware, Ohio.
