Comprehensive Info for Buyers
Breed Information
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Significant Sires | The American Standardbred | Breed Information
| 1788 - 1875 | 1876 - 1930 | ||
| 1788 | The Thoroughbred Messenger (1780-1808) arrives from England. His descendants, through Hambletonian 10, become the founders of the American Standardbred horse. | 1876 | The National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders is organized. |
| 1806 | Yankee, a gelding, trots a mile in 2:59. It is the first recorded performance by an American trotter. | 1878 | Sweetzer becomes the first 2:15 pacer and Rarus lowers the trotting record to 2:131/. |
| 1823 | The Union Course, Long Island, NY holds the first major public trotting race in America. | 1879 | The National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders establishes The Standards for trotting horses. |
| 1825 | The New York Trotting Club is established. | 1883 | Johnston becomes the first 2:10 pacer at Chicago, Illinois. The following year Jay Eye See becomes the first 2:10 trotter. |
| 1838 | Historic Track in Goshen, NY is constructed. | 1885 | The first volume of Wallace's Year Book, a precursor to the USTA Year Book and Sires & Dams Register, is published. |
| 1845 | Lady Suffolk, &The Old Grey Mare,& sets a trotting record of 2:291/4 at Hoboken, NJ. | 1888 | Using natural gas illumination, the first official night racing is held. Walnut Hall Farm is established in Lexington, Kentucky. |
| 1851 | 2-year-old, Hambletonian 10 (1849-1876), stands his first season. His fee is $25. | 1893 | The first Kentucky Futurity is raced at The Red Mile for a purse of $11,850. |
| 1859 | Flora Temple becomes the first 2:20 trotter. | 1897 | Star Pointer (Brown Hall-Sweepstakes) a pacer, becomes the first 2:00 Standardbred with a 1:59 mile. |
| 1870 | The National Trotting Association, forerunner of the United States Trotting Association, is formed. | 1900 | The great pacing champion Dan Patch (1896-1916) (Joe Patchen-Zelica) wins his first race, at age 4. He is purchased in 1902 by M.W. Savage for $60,000. In 1905, he sets a record of 1:551/. The record stands for 33 years. |
| 1871 | The first volume of the American Trotting Register is published by John Wallace. | 1903 | The mare Lou Dillon (Sidney Dillon-Lou Milton) becomes the first 2:00 trotter. |
| 1873 | Grand Circuit racing begins for trotters. Pacing events are not permitted. | 1908 | Harness racing's first $50,000 race, The American Trotting Derby, is held. |
| 1874 | Goldsmith Maid (1857-1885) becomes the first 2:15 trotter, with a 2:143/4 mile. She retired in 1877 with a record 350 wins. Hobbles are introduced for pacers. | 1926 | The first Hambletonian Stake is held and Hanover Shoe Farms is established. |
| 1875 | The first major pacing race, the "Pacing Championship of the United States" is held. The purse is $5,000. The famous Red Mile in Lexington, KY opens. Racing is sponsored by the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association. | 1927 | The Trotting Horse Club of America is founded. |
| 1930 | The Hambletonian is moved from Syracuse, NY to Good Time Park in Goshen, NY. | ||
