Hambletonian

Hambletonian (Hamletonian 10) [http://www.harnessmuseum.com/pages/main-home-page-info/hambopage.htm Hall of Fame of the Trotter]

A great grandson of the imported English Thoroughbred Messenger profoundly influenced the sport of harness racing. On May 5, 1849, Hambletonian was born in
Sugar Loaf, NY, [http://sugarloafny.org/] Sired by Abdallah and foaled to a horse called the Charles Kent Mare, Hambletonian and his dam were owned by Jonas Seeley. Seeley's hired hand, William Rysdyk, cared for them. Rysdyk became so attached to the pair and was so convinced that the foal would someday be great that he asked to purchase them. Seeley finally agreed, and for $125 William Rysdyk took his prize possessions home.

Hambletonian 10, as he was registered, made his first public appearance at the age of six months at the nearby Orange County Fair in Goshen. He caused quite a sensation and horsemen started referring to him as "Rysdyk's Abdallah colt." This colt began his stud career at age two when Rysdyk allowed him to cover four mares. Meanwhile another son of Abdallah, Abdallah Chief, owned by Seeley C. Roe, was looming as a competitor for the local stallion honors. Roe had nothing but contempt for Hambletonian, and claimed he'd never be a trotter, only a show horse. This issue was settled in 1852 at Long Island's Union Course. Hambletonian and Abdallah Chief were hitched to skeleton wagons with their owners driving. Three minutes and three seconds after the start, Hambletonian crossed the finish line ahead of his rival. Roe still wasn't satisfied and insisted on another race. A time trial was held. Abdallah Chief went the mile in 2:55 1/2. Then Roe watched Hambletonian, in what would be the only time trial of his career, trot the mile in 2:48 1/2. Rysdyk then placed Hambletonian at stud in Chester and bred him to local mares for a fee upwards of $500. The horse's reputation quickly grew as a sire of speed, and Rysdyk made a modest fortune from the horse's services. In his years at stud, 1,331 foals were sired.At age 27 on March 27, 1876, Hambletonian died. Both he and his owner, who died in 1870, were buried in Chester, N.Y. Seventeen years after Hambletonian's death a granite monument, the gift of many people who had fond memories of the horse, was placed over his grave on Hambletonian Avenue. In honor of the "Father of the American Trotter", the Hambletonian,a United States harness racing event is held annually for three-year-old trotting standardbreds. The race is named for the famous trotting horse, Hambletonian 10 (1849-1876), from whose four sons, the lineage of virtually all American standardbred race horses can be traced. It is the most coveted North American race for trotters; among races for pacers, only the Little Brown Jug is as prestigious.The Hambletonian is the first Fact|date=August 2008 | Yonkers is first now, please revise, and most prestigious event in the United States Trotting Triple Crown races.

Hambletonian Sites

*1926-29 -- New York State Fair, Syracuse, NY
**1927 and 1929 events held in Lexington, KY due to rainouts in Syracuse
*1930-56 -- Good Time Park, Goshen, NY (site of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame)
**1943 event held at Empire City Park in Yonkers, NY due to wartime gas rationing
*1957-80 -- DuQuoin State Fair, DuQuoin, IL
*1981-present -- The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ
* Sugar Loaf Historical Society -- [http://sugarloafny.org/ Sugar Loaf Historical Society ]

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[http://www.nj-horse.com New Jersey Horse Enthusiast Web] [http://www.sugarloafny.org/ Sugar Loaf Historical Society]