| Location | Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment East Rutherford, New Jersey U.S. |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1977 (47 years ago) (1977) |
| Last run | 2012 (12 years ago) (2012) |
| Race type | Standardbred (Pace) |
| Website | playmeadowlands |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile (8.0 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | 2-Year-Olds |
| Purse | $309,050 (2012) |
The Woodrow Wilson Pace was a harness racing major event for two-year-old Standardbred pacers run from 1977 through 2012 at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
First run in 1977 for a purse of $280,000, by 1980 the purse was $2,011,000, making it the richest race of any breed in horse racing history.
Historical race events
No No Yankee won the inaugural running of the Woodrow Wilson Pace and went on to earn American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Pacer honors.
In 1984, the undefeated Nihilator won what would be the richest Woodrown Wilson Pace with a purse of $2,161,000. His winning time for the mile of 1:52 4/5 set a world record for 2-year-old Standardbred horses.
Records
- Most wins by a driver
- 5 – John Campbell (1988, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 2 – Joe Holloway (1992, 2003), Jim Campbell (1997, 2010), Robert McIntosh (1999, 2001), George Teague, Jr. (2005, 2009), Tony Alagna (2011, 2012)
- Stakes record
- 1:49 3/5 – Captaintreacherous (2012)
Winners of the Woodrow Wilson Pace
| Year |
Winner |
Driver |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Captaintreacherous | Tim Tetrick | Tony Alagna | Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, White Birch Farm | 1:49 3/5 | $309,050 |
| 2011 | Major Bombay | Brian Sears | Tony Alagna | Aaron Waxman, Louis Willinger, John Fodera, Major Bombay Partners | 1:51 3/5 | $317,800 |
| 2010 | Fashion Delight | David Miller | Jim Campbell | Fashion Farms | 1:51 0/0 | $473,000 |
| 2009 | Windfall Blue Chip | Brian Sears | George Teague, Jr. | George Teague, Jr., Kovach Stables LLC, Theodore Gewertz | 1:51 4/5 | $455,400 |
| 2008 | Major In Art | Brian Sears | Justin Lebo | Chester & Justin Lebo | 1:50 4/5 | $350,000 |
| 2007 | Dali | Luc Ouellette | Duane Marfisi | Uncirculated Stables (Aaron & Isaac Waxman) | 1:50 2/5 | $415,000 |
| 2006 | Fox Valley Barzgar | Tony Morgan | Thomas Harmer | Michael Polansky | 1:50 2/5 | $410,000 |
| 2005 | Western Ace | Ronald Pierce | George Teague, Jr. | Teague, Inc. & Kovach Stables | 1:51 2/5 | $375,000 |
| 2004 | Village Jolt | Ronald Pierce | Edward Hart | Jeffery S. Snyder & Jules & Arlene Siegel | 1:51 3/5 | $432,000 |
| 2003 | Modern Art | David Miller | Joe Holloway | Val D'Or Farms, Ted Gewertz, Milton & Martha Frank | 1:51 3/5 | $640,000 |
| 2002 | Allamerican Native | George Brennan | Salvatore Capone | David Scharf, A&G Stables, Jerry Silva | 1:51 1/5 | $650,000 |
| 2001 | Allamerican Ingot | John Campbell | Robert McIntosh | Robert Waxman | 1:51 3/5 | $700,000 |
| 2000 | Whitefish Falls † | Catello Manzi | Mervin Burke | 1:52 0/0 | $703,000 | |
| 1999 | Richess Hanover | Michel Lachance | Robert McIntosh | Robert Waxman | 1:53 0/0 | $600,000 |
| 1998 | Grinfromeartoear | Luc Ouellette | Monte Gelrod | Perfect World Enterprises | 1:52 3/5 | $660,250 |
| 1997 | Real Artist | John Campbell | Jim Campbell | Fashion Farms (Arlene & Jules Siegel) | 1:52 0/0 | $765,750 |
| 1996 | Jeremys Gambit | Michel Lachance | Noel Daley | Steven Burn & Martin Cornick | 1:52 4/5 | $800,000 |
| 1995 | A Stud Named Sue | George Brennan | Liz Quesnel | Liz Quesnel & Bud Burke, et al. | 1:52 4/5 | $585,500 |
| 1994 | Dontgetinmyway | John Campbell | William Robinson | Guida Stables & Joan Goldsmith | 1:53 4/5 | $774,750 |
| 1993 | Magical Mike | John Campbell | Thomas Haughton | Shadow Lane Farm & David McDuffee | 1:51 4/5 | $747,700 |
| 1992 | America's Pastime | Wally Hennessey | Joe Holloway | Robert J. Suslow | 1:51 4/5 | $778,800 |
| 1991 | Sportsmaster | Ron Waples | John F. Simpson, Jr. | Lon Frocione | 1:52 1/5 | $889,000 |
| 1990 | Die Laughing | Richard Silverman | Jerry Silverman | Alnoff Stable & Val D'Or Farms | 1:52 1/5 | $1,043,500 |
| 1989 | Sam Francisco Ben | Ronald Pierce | Klevin Harrison | Judith & Irving Levit | 1:56 0/0 | $907,000 |
| 1988 | Kassa Branca | John Campbell | William Popfinger | Douglas A. Rass | 1:52 3/5 | $1,041,000 |
| 1987 | Even Odds | Ben Webster | Steve Elliot | Arlene Traub | 1:54 1/5 | $1,422,500 |
| 1986 | Cullin Hanover | Buddy Gilmour | Richard Thomas | Bert Seltzberg, Don Baker & Mike Grossman | 1:54 4/5 | $1,561,000 |
| 1985 | Grade One | Ray Remmen | Lee Broglio | Richard M. Schwartz | 1:54 3/5 | $1,344,000 |
| 1984 | Nihilator | Bill O'Donnell | Ernie Gaskin | Wall Street Stable (Louis P. Guida et al.) | 1:52 4/5 | $2,161,000 |
| 1983 | Carls Bird | Carl E. Allen | Carl E. Allen | Carl E. Allen | 1:55 3/5 | $1,700,000 |
| 1982 | Fortune Teller | Eldon Harner | Eldon Harner | Max Buran, Stanley Becker | 1:55 3/5 | $1,957,500 |
| 1981 | McKinzie Almahurst | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | 5 Guys and Me | 1:56 1/5 | $1,760,000 |
| 1980 | Land Grant | Del Insko | Del Insko | Yizhar Glaser & Stephen Lang | 1:56 4/5 | $2,011,000 |
| 1979 | Niatross | Clint Galbraith | Clint Galbraith | Harold Graham & Elsie Berger | 1:55 4/5 | $862,750 |
| 1978 | Scarlet Skipper | William Herman | William Herman | Frank Perry, Bill Camp, Jr., John F. Simpson Jr. | 1:57 3/5 | $481,250 |
| 1977 | No No Yankee | Walter Ross | Peter Blood | Peter Blood, Roger Slobody, Gary Piontkiowski | 1:57 4/5 | $280,000 |
- † 2000: Ameripan Gigolo finished first but was disqualified for interference and set back to 10th place.
References
- Harness Racing Update.com October 19, 2012 article by Bill Finley titled "Return of Final Four Among Many Changes at Meadowlands 2013" Retrieved November 3, 2016
- Sports Illustrated August 18, 1980 article by Douglas S. Looney titled "Money isn't everything—or is it?" Retrieved October 21, 2016
- Poughkeepsie Journal July 26, 1977 article titled "No No Yankee wins Wilson Pace" Retrieved November 23, 2016
- New York Times August 17, 1984 article titled "Nihilator Sets A Record In Wilson Pace" Retrieved November 23, 2016