Our Chicago Circuit Harness Racing Quiz
By Mike Paradise
How knowledgeable are you on the history of harness racing on the Chicago circuit? We’ve put together 10 questions to test just how proficient you are and there are some tough ones,
It’s a multiple choice test to help you along. Some of the correct answers might even surprise you. You can scroll down to the bottom of the page to see all you have done.
1. Super Night was inaugurated at Sportsman’s Park in what year?
a. 1986
b. 1987
c. 1988
d. 1989
e. None of the above
This horse was the fastest pacer in Balmoral Park history. Can you name him? (USTA Photo)
2. The fastest mile in Balmoral Park history was paced by what horse?
a. Big Tom
b. Quick Pulse Mindale
c. Holborn Hanover
d. Lis Mara
e. Mr. Ed
3. Which of these past illustrious pacers did not win Maywood Park’s Windy City Pace as a 3-year-old?
a. Gala Blue Chip
b. Western Hanover
c. Incredible Finale
d. Three Olives
e. Pacific Rocket
4. The fastest mile paced at Sportsman’s Park when it was a five-eighths oval was by what horse?
a. Beach Towel
b. Cam Fella
c. Jate Lobell
d. Odds Against
e. Trigger
5. The first OTB Parlor in Illinois opened in 1987 at which location?
a. Rockford
b. Peoria
c. Waukegan
d. Danville
e. Chicago (1060 W. Addison St)
Glass Pack, shown here with driver Mike Oosting, shared the all-time track record at Maywood Park with another horse. Who was he? (R.E.B. Photo)
6. The ICF pacer Glass Pack shares the track record of 1:50.2 at Maywood Park with what other horse?
a. Fox Valley Gallant
b. Thisbigdogwilfight
c. Jo Pa’s Bench Mark
d. Westward Vision
e. Idonthavetaclue
7. Which of these current or former Chicago circuit race tracks was never a half-mile oval?
a. Hawthorne Race Course
b. Sportsman’s Park
c. Balmoral Park
d. Maywood Park
e. They all were
8. No trotter ever went faster than 1:55 in Maywood Park’s long history.
a. True
b. False
9. Who was the last Illinois horseman to win the training title at Sportsman’s Park when it was still a five-eighths mile track? The year was 1991.
a. Joe Anderson
b. Carl Porcelli Jr.
c. Doug Hamilton
d. Mark Fransen
e. George Costanza
10. Dave Magee far and away drove the most Super Night championship horses, but what driver had the second most?
a. Tony Morgan
b. Joe Anderson
c. Andy Miller
d. Mike Oosting
e. Someone else.
QUIZ ANSWERS
1. (d) 1989 was the first year
2. (c) In 2006 Holborn Hanover (George Brennan) with a 1:47.3 mile.
3. (a) The 2000 Harness Horse of the Year Gala Blue Chip lost to Camotion (Dale Hiteman)
4. (a) Beach Towel in 1990 with a 1:52.4 mile
5. (b) Peoria is correct. For those who picked (d), you chose the address of Wrigley Field
6. (d) Westward Vixen with Dave Magee
7. (a) Hawthorne
8. (1) True
9. (b) Carl Porcelli Jr. with 38.
10. (c) Andy Miller) was next.