The Harness Horse of the Year is an honor recognizing the top harness racing

Harness racing

Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

 horse in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The award is selected by the United States Trotting Association

United States Trotting Association

The United States Trotting Association, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is the governing body for the sport of harness racing in the United States. It licenses drivers and trainers; trains racing officials; makes the rules of racing; maintains racing and breeding records; and promotes the sport....

 and the United States Harness Writers Association.

The inaugural honor was awarded to Victory Song

Victory Song

Victory Song was a trotting horse who was bought as a yearling by Castleton Farm of Lexington, Kentucky. In 1947, he became the first Standardbred to be elected Harness Horse of the Year...

 of Castleton Farms Stables who was named the "Harness Horse of 1947" by a committee that consisted of 50 harness racing writers, radio commentators and sports editors. Victory Song picked up 23 first-place votes, to lead a field of 22 horses that had been nominated for the honor, edging stablemate Hoot Mon who finished in second in the balloting. Victory Song had set the harness racing record for stallions with a time of 1:57.6 in the mile. E. Roland Harriman, president of the Trotting Horse Club of America, announced the award and indicated that the enthusiasm shown for the honor led to the decision to make the "Harness Horse of the Year" an annual event.

Good Time became the first horse to win the honor two times, winning in both 1949 and 1952. Good Time held the single-season money record at the time of $110,299 and received 80 first-place votes from the 99 writers participating in that year's balloting, after finishing first in 23 starts in 1952, with three second-place finishes and two finishes in third.

In 1956, Scott Frost became the first horse to win the Harness of the Year honors in consecutive years, earning the first place on the ballots of 66 of the 95 writers participating that year. Driven by Joe O'Brien, Scott Frost won 18 of 21 starts in 1956, coming in second in the three other races.

Past winners

Horses that have been recognized as Harness Horse of the Year are:

Year	Horse	Type
1947	Victory Song Victory Song Victory Song was a trotting horse who was bought as a yearling by Castleton Farm of Lexington, Kentucky. In 1947, he became the first Standardbred to be elected Harness Horse of the Year...
1948	Rodney
1949	Good Time
1950	Proximity
1951	Pronto Don
1952	Good Time (2)
1953	Hi Lo's Forbes
1954	Stenographer
1955	Scott Frost
1956	Scott Frost (2)
1957	Torpid
1958	Emily's Pride
1959	Bye Bye Byrd
1960	Adios Butler Adios Butler The horse Adios Butler, also known as "The Butler" , was a North American harness racing champion.Sired by the great Standardbred Adios with an obscure broodmare named Debby Hanover, Adios Butler was trained and driven by Clint Hodgins...
1961	Adios Butler Adios Butler The horse Adios Butler, also known as "The Butler" , was a North American harness racing champion.Sired by the great Standardbred Adios with an obscure broodmare named Debby Hanover, Adios Butler was trained and driven by Clint Hodgins...  (2)
1962	Su Mac Lad Su Mac Lad Su Mac Lad was an American gelding trotter. He reached the peak of his racing career in the 1960s. In 1962, he was harness racing's career money leader and named Harness Horse of the Year...
1963	Speedy Scot
1964	Bret Hanover Bret Hanover Bret Hanover was an outstanding American Standardbred racehorse. He was also one of only nine pacers to win harness racing's Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and achieved a fine career total of 62 wins from 68 starts...	Pacer
1965	Bret Hanover Bret Hanover Bret Hanover was an outstanding American Standardbred racehorse. He was also one of only nine pacers to win harness racing's Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and achieved a fine career total of 62 wins from 68 starts...  (2)	Pacer
1966	Bret Hanover Bret Hanover Bret Hanover was an outstanding American Standardbred racehorse. He was also one of only nine pacers to win harness racing's Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and achieved a fine career total of 62 wins from 68 starts...  (3)	Pacer
1967	Nevele Pride Nevele Pride Nevele Pride was an American standardbred harness racehorse who set world records as fastest trotter on multiple occasions. Owned by Stanley Dancer, Nevil Pride won 57 races and was honored as Harness Horse of the Year in three consecutive years. The horse earned more than $870,000 during his...	Trotter
1968	Nevele Pride Nevele Pride Nevele Pride was an American standardbred harness racehorse who set world records as fastest trotter on multiple occasions. Owned by Stanley Dancer, Nevil Pride won 57 races and was honored as Harness Horse of the Year in three consecutive years. The horse earned more than $870,000 during his...  (2)	Trotter
1969	Nevele Pride Nevele Pride Nevele Pride was an American standardbred harness racehorse who set world records as fastest trotter on multiple occasions. Owned by Stanley Dancer, Nevil Pride won 57 races and was honored as Harness Horse of the Year in three consecutive years. The horse earned more than $870,000 during his...  (3)	Trotter
1970	Fresh Yankee	trotter
1971	Albatross Albatross (horse) Albatross was a bay Standardbred horse by Meadow Skipper. He was voted Harness Horse of the Year in 1971 and 1972. Albatross won 59 of 71 starts, including the Cane Pace and Messenger Stakes in 1971, earned $1,201,477. It was, however, as a sire that he really made his mark...	Pacer
1972	Albatross Albatross (horse) Albatross was a bay Standardbred horse by Meadow Skipper. He was voted Harness Horse of the Year in 1971 and 1972. Albatross won 59 of 71 starts, including the Cane Pace and Messenger Stakes in 1971, earned $1,201,477. It was, however, as a sire that he really made his mark...	Pacer
1973	Sir Dalrae	Pacer
1974	Delmonica Hanover	Trotter
1975	Savoir	Trotter
1976	Keystone Ore Keystone Ore Keystone Ore was an American standardbred horse, who was the son of Bye Bye Bird. He was trained and driven by Stanley Dancer, and was honored as Harness Horse of the Year in 1976....	Pacer
1977	Green Speed	Trotter
1978	Abercrombie	Pacer
1979	Niatross Niatross Niatross was an American champion standardbred race horse who many believe was the greatest harness horse of all time.The son of Albatross out of the mare Niagara Dream, Niatross was born on March 30, 1977...	Pacer
1980	Niatross Niatross Niatross was an American champion standardbred race horse who many believe was the greatest harness horse of all time.The son of Albatross out of the mare Niagara Dream, Niatross was born on March 30, 1977...  (2)	Pacer
1981	Fan Hanover	Pacer
1982	Cam Fella Cam Fella Cam Fella was a bay pacing horse by Most Happy Fella out of Nan Cam by Bret Hanover. He was trained and driven originally by Doug Arthur and later by Pat Crowe. His best time for the mile was 1:53.1...	Pacer
1983	Cam Fella Cam Fella Cam Fella was a bay pacing horse by Most Happy Fella out of Nan Cam by Bret Hanover. He was trained and driven originally by Doug Arthur and later by Pat Crowe. His best time for the mile was 1:53.1...	Pacer
1984	Fancy Crown	Trotter
1985	Nihilator	Pacer
1986	Forrest Skipper	pacer
1987	Mack Lobell Mack Lobell Mack Lobell is a brown racing trotter by Mystic Park out of Matina Hanover by Speedy Count.He won $3,917,594 during his career. He was elected Harness Horse of the Year in 1987 and 1988...	trotter
1988	Mack Lobell Mack Lobell Mack Lobell is a brown racing trotter by Mystic Park out of Matina Hanover by Speedy Count.He won $3,917,594 during his career. He was elected Harness Horse of the Year in 1987 and 1988...	trotter
1989	Matt's Scooter Matt's Scooter Matt's Scooter is a bay pacing ridgeling by Direct Scooter out of Ellen's Glory by Meadow Skipper. He was born in 1985 and competed as a pacer in harness racing, winning the Meadowlands Pace, Prix d'Été, Confederation Cup, Messenger Stakes, American National Stakes, Breeders Crown, Driscoll Series,...	pacer
1990	Beach Towel Beach Towel Beach Towel was the 1990 Harness Horse of the Year. The colt was trained and driven by Ray Remmen. Beach Towel won 18 of his 23 starts with a fastest race mile of 1:50, whilst earning $2,091,860...	pacer
1991	Precious Bunny Precious Bunny Precious Bunny is a bay Standardbred horse by Cam Fella out of Bunny's Wish by B Gs Bunny. He was trained to be a harness racer....	pacer
1992	Artsplace Artsplace Artsplace was a champion harness racing horse who was the 1992 Harness Horse of the Year. Artsplace was also harness racings champion two year old in 1990, where he notably set a world record for 2 year old pacers by winning the Breeders Crown in a then unheard of time of 1:51.1 at Pompano Park...	pacer
1993	Staying Together	pacer
1994	Cam's Card Shark	pacer
1995	CR Kay Suzie	trotter
1996	Continentalvictory	trotter
1997	Malabar Man	trotter
1998	Moni Maker Moni Maker Moni Maker is a brown standardbred trotter by Speedy Crown out of Nans Catch by Bonefish.She won US$5,589,256, and when her racing career ended in 2000, she was the sport's all-time leading money-winner...	trotter
1999	Moni Maker Moni Maker Moni Maker is a brown standardbred trotter by Speedy Crown out of Nans Catch by Bonefish.She won US$5,589,256, and when her racing career ended in 2000, she was the sport's all-time leading money-winner...  (2)	trotter
2000	Gallo Blue Chip	pacer
2001	Bunny Lake Bunny Lake Founded in 2004, Bunny Lake is an Electropop band from Austria. The band’s name was inspired by Austrian director Otto Preminger’s movie Bunny Lake Is Missing .-Band history:...	pacer
2002	Real Desire	pacer
2003	No Pan Intended	pacer
2004	Rainbow Blue Rainbow Blue Rainbow Blue was the 2004 Harness Horse of the Year. The filly won 20 of the 21 races she entered in 2004. Her victory highlights included the $310,000 Mistletoe Shalee final, the $543,543 Fan Hanover final, the $222,500 Nadia Lobell final, and the $610,000 Breeders Crown final.The bay filly is...	pacer
2005	Rocknroll Hanover	pacer
2006	Glidemaster Glidemaster Glidemaster is a Standardbred trotter who was named the 2006 American Dan Patch Horse of the Year by the U.S. Trotting Association. He is a 2003 brown stallion by Yankee Glide out of Cressida Hanover by Mr Lavec....	trotter
2007	Donato Hanover Donato Hanover Donato Hanover is a retired champion standardbred racing horse. He was sired by Andover Hall, out of D Train, a Donerail mare. The colt is currently owned by David B. Scharf, Steven Arnold, and Golden Touch Stable...	trotter
2008	Somebeachsomewhere Somebeachsomewhere Somebeachsomewhere is a standardbred racehorse who was the equal fastest horse ever with a time of 1:46.4 and earned $3,221,299. In 2008 Somebeachsomewhere had the highest earnings by pacer in single season of $2.4 million...	pacer
2009	Muscle Hill Muscle Hill Muscle Hill is a trotting colt which won the Breeders Crown in 2008 and 2009. He is driven by Brian Sears and trained by Greg Peck.He showed great promise as a two year old, winning the 2008 Breeders Crown Two Year Old Colt Trot...	trotter