American Trotting Classic

Horse race

American Trotting ClassicClass| Discontinued race

|

Location| Inglewood, California
Inaugurated| 1955
Race type| Harness race for Standardbred trotters
Website| distance = 1 1/8 miles
(1,810 metres or 9 furlongs)
Race information
Surface| Dirt, 1 mile oval
Track| Hollywood Park Racetrack
Qualification| 3 years & older
Purse| $100,000 (1981)

The American Trotting Classic at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California is a defunct three-race series in harness racing for Standardbred trotters aged three and older. It was run annually between 1955 and 1981 at three different racetracks with the final hosted by Hollywood Park Racetrack. [1] During the same period, these tracks also offered the corresponding American Pacing Classic.[2]

The race was run at a distance of one mile from 1955 through 1960, after which it was run at a mile and an eighth.

The American Trotting Classic replaced the Golden West Trot which had been contested from 1946 through 1954 under the auspices of the Western Harness Racing Association at both Santa Anita Park and at Hollywood Park.[3]

## Historical race events

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In 1955, Scott Frost capped off a brilliant season of racing when he took the first of his consecutive wins in the American Trotting Classic, and in both 1955 and 1956 he was voted Harness Horse of the Year. Earlier in 1955, Scott Frost had become the first horse to win the U.S. Trotting Triple Crown.[4]

In addition to back-to-back wins by Scott Frost in 1955 and 1956 and Savoir in 1974 and 1975, two other horses have also won the race twice. Fresh Yankee accomplished the feat in 1969 and again in 1971, plus Dayan in 1970 and 1972.

Hall of Fame driver/trainer Joe O'Brien won the American Trotting Classic six times, which was the most by any trainer as well as by any driver. In addition, O'Brien drove to victory in the American Pacing Classic a record four times.

## Records

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Most wins by a driver

* 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)

Most wins by a trainer

* 6 – Joe O'Brien (1955, 1966, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977)

Stakes record

* 2:11 3/5 – Classical Way (1980) at 1 1/8 miles
* 1:57 3/5 – Senator Frost (1959) at 1 mile

## Winners of the American Trotting Classic

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Year
| Winner
| Age
| Driver
| Trainer
| Owner
| Distance
| Time
| Purse

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1981  | Dante Jay  | 7  | Etienne S. Desomer  | Robin Clements  | Desomer Stable  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:12 2/5  | $123,500
1980  | Classical Way | 4  | John F. Simpson, Jr. | John F. Simpson, Jr.  | Clarence F. Gaines | 1 1/8 m  | 2:11 3/5  | $94,000
1979  | Jurgy Hanover  | 5  | Peter Haughton | Billy Haughton  | Kosmos Horse Breeders, Inc.  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:12 3/5  | $92,000
1978  | Keystone Pioneer | 6  | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton  | Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 2/5  | $100,800
1977  | Ima Lula | 4  | Joe O'Brien | Joe O'Brien  | Duncan A. MacDonald  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:13 4/5  | $100,750
1976  | Keystone Pioneer  | 4  | Billy Haughton  | Billy Haughton  | Dorothy Haughton & Patricia Bachner  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:12 3/5  | $109,800
1975  | Savoir | 7  | James D. Dennis  | Mel Smorra  | Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck)  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:14 1/5  | $104,900
1974  | Savoir  | 6  | James D. Dennis  | Mel Smorra  | Allwood Stables (Leonard J. & Helen R. Buck)  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:13 3/5  | $109,550
1973  | Elesnar | 5  | Percy Robillard  | Percy Robillard  | Argyle Farms (George Henderson)  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:16 0/0  | $100,000
1972  | Dayan | 6  | William Myer  | William Myer  | Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein)  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:19 4/5  | $100,000
1971  | Fresh Yankee | 8  | Joe O'Brien  | Joe O'Brien  | Duncan A. MacDonald | 1 1/8 m  | 2:20 4/5  | $100,000
1970  | Dayan  | 4  | William Myer  | William Myer  | Adonis Stable (Murray Tobin & Eric Kirstein)  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:13 2/5  | $100,000
1969  | Fresh Yankee  | 6  | Joe O'Brien  | Joe O'Brien  | Duncan A. MacDonald  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 0/0  | $100,000
1968  | Lady B Fast  | 4  | William Popfinger  | William Popfinger  | Buttonwood Tree Farm  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 2/5  | $75,000
1967  | Grandpa Jim  | 5  | Robert G. Farrington | Robert G. Farrington  | Jim & Marie Trainor  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:13 4/5  | $60,000
1966  | Earl Laird  | 6  | Robert J. Williams, Sr.  | Jimmy Cruise | Joan Cruise  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:13 2/5  | $50,000
1965  | Armbro Flight | 3  | Joe O'Brien  | Joe O'Brien  | Armstrong Bros. | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 3/5  | $50,000
1964  | Marco Hanover  | 5  | Richard J. Buxton | Richard J. Buxton  | Garrett S. Claypool  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:14 0/0  | $50,000
1963  | Porterhouse | 5  | Earle Avery | Earle Avery  | Norman S. Woolworth | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 0/0  | $50,000
1962  | Duke Rodney | 4  | Billy Haughton  | Edward T. Wheeler  | Patrick & Elisabeth DiGennaro  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:15 2/5  | $50,000
1961  | Air Record  | 5  | George Sholty | George Sholty  | George Sholty & Faye Ross  | 1 1/8 m  | 2:17 2/5  | $80,000
1960  | Silver Song  | 5  | Howard B. Camden  | Howard B. Camden  | Mercury Stable Farm, Inc.  | 1 mile  | 2:01 3/5  | $85,000
1959  | Senator Frost  | 4  | Richard J. Buxton  | Richard J. Buxton  | Wayne Galvin  | 1 mile  | 1:57 3/5  | $85,000
1958  | Charming Barbara  | 4  | Billy Haughton  | Billy Haughton  | John Froehlich  | 1 mile  | 2:00 1/5  | $75,000
1957  | Galophone | 5  | Robert Walker  | Robert Walker  | William T. Maybury  | 1 mile  | 2:00 4/5  | $75,000
1956  | Scott Frost | 4  | Joe O'Brien  | Joe O'Brien  | S. A. Camp Farms | 1 mile  | 1:58 3/5  | $75,000
1955  | Scott Frost  | 3  | Joe O'Brien  | Joe O'Brien  | S. A. Camp Farms  | 1 mile  | 1:59 3/5  | $75,000

## References

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1. ^ Los Angeles Times \- June 14, 1990 Retrieved September 19, 2016
2. ^ Sports Illustrated December 5, 1955 article titled "A Roundup of the Week's News", subtitle "Harness Racing" Retrieved September 19, 2016
3. ^ Sports Illustrated November 15, 1954 article titled "A Roundup of the Weeks News" Retrieved September 3, 2016
4. ^ Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame bio for Scott Frost Retrieved September 23, 2016