He was one of the best trotters the world has seen and went on to become an even better stallion before he died too soon. The story of Ready Cash is a fascinating tale of coincidences, but most of all the story of one of the most legendary trotters ever.
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It’s a good thing horses don’t know what humans expect of them, otherwise chances are high that Victory Song would have crumbled under pressure. The blue-blooded colt struggled with unsoundness throughout his career and was seen as lacking mental toughness. When it clicked, though, the horse was a phenomenal trotting machine who some people even thought could challenge Greyhound’s legendary record.
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J Malcolm Forbes was one of the biggest owners and breeders of standardbreds from 1890 until his death in 1904. Forbes shelled out massive amounts for several horses including Nancy Hanks and Arion. The millionaire believed the best of all the horses he owned, though, was a lesser known horse called Vice Commodore. A horse who left a lasting legacy through two daughters, but whose death wasn’t even noticed when it happened.
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In 1989 Olav Christiansen, a farmer in the Norwegian village Åsenfjord, lost the right to let his sheep grace in the nearby mountains in the summer, so he decided to quit sheep farming and focus on harness racing. Trading his remaining sheep for a a yearling filly and an unborn foal, Christiansen made one of the most lucrative and one-sided deals in harness history.
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He was the undisputed French emperor for several years, and only illness prevented him from winning an unprecedented five Prix d’Amerique-wins in a row. As tough off as on the track, Ourasi was a handful for those around him. He was actually more than a handful for his competitors, who simply couldn’t resist the complete package of strength, speed and an insane will to win. In one race the other competitors even colluded to prevent the chestnut superstar from winning, but Ourasi won anyway.
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When Greyhound, by many regarded as the best trotter of all times, retired, his owner, EJ Baker, was looking for other interesting prospects. In 1943 he found The Grey Ghost’s successor when he bought the horse almost everybody thought would break all trotting records. However, less than a year later that horse had passed away. The untimely death of Volo Song has been called one of the greatest tragedies to befall trotting.
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The third filly to win the big race, The Marchioness was the first winner of a four-heat Hambletonian, the first winner with a female owner and the only one whose trainer and driver previously trained trotters for the Russian czar.
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When Soviet trainer Maria Burdova wanted to drive Apex Hanover in the Prix d’Amerique in 1965 she was denied with the explanation that sitting in a sulky “is an unnatural position for a woman.” 30 years later the world had finally moved forward and Helen Ann Johansson became the first female driver to win the Prix d’Amerique when she drove Ina Scot to victory.
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He was champion stallion for many years, even after his death, in Norway. What many did not know is that he was initially considered a very good trotter in his crop in the US. Senator Ford was practically blind early in life, however, and for welfare reasons was not allowed to race. At stud, however, there was no stopping Senator Ford.
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An exceptional racehorse at 2, BF Coaltown was then set back by virus infection a month ahead of hte Hambletonian which he seemingly never really recovered from. The Ohio-born stallion went on to exceed all expectations at stud when he became one of the best stallions ever seen in his home state.
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