San Simeon (horse)
Encyclopedia
San Simeon is a Standardbred pacer from Western Australia
best known for his Australasian record winning sequence of 29 races from his first start as a two year old until his defeat by Michael Frost during the 1981 Interdominion
series in Hobart
, Tasmania
. He also won three consecutive Australian Harness Horse of the Year
awards.
, 175 kilometres south of Perth. He immediately began his 29 race winning sequence by winning all 10 starts as a two year old including the WA Golden Slipper and WA Champagne Stakes. He was voted Australian two-year-old (2yo) of the year for 1978/9, and the $50,162 he earned that season was a new Australian record for a horse of his age.
As a three year old San Simeon raced only six times but recorded a win at each start. He defeated Victorian visitor Gammalite
in the Western Australian Derby and then beat him comfortably in the Australian Derby. Both races were held at Gloucester Park
in Perth
. San Simeon was voted Australian 3yo of the year and his record now stood at 16 wins from 16 starts.
San Simeon began the 1980/1 season with a win at Harvey on 13 September. On 5 December 1980 he equalled the Australasian record winning streak of 24 wins held by Maori's Idol
and Lucky Creed by winning at Fremantle. He then set a new record of 25 wins on 12 December by winning the WA 4yo Classic. San Simeon then raced against the top open class horses for the first time in the Western Australian Pacing Cup series. As a relatively inexperienced four year old he was well handicapped with established stars Koala King
and Satinover giving him starts of 20 metres and 15m respectively. After winning both his heats he won the final on 2 January 1981 defeating King Carramar and Local Mark.
The Inter Dominion
was held in Hobart for the first time and the relatively small circumference of the showgrounds circuit and handicap conditions may have contributed to the non-appearance of Satinover, Locarno, Delightful Lady
and Gammalite
and the poor performances by New Zealand trained horses during the series. Koala King
, the previous winner, was injured. San Simeon won the slowest of three one mile heats on the first night to extend his sequence to 29 but the record went no further after he was defeated by Michael Frost on night two. "Very, very relieved" said trainer-driver Lou Austin regarding the defeat. After a third night win he was much too good for Single Again and Ardstraw in the final winning by 10 metres in track record time. Veteran Pure Steel
, competing in an Interdominion for the fifth time, finished fourth after conceding the winner 15m under the handicap conditions. He was voted Australian Harness Horse of the Year for season 1980/1 and was also Australian Grand Circuit Champion.
Following the Interdominion win San Simeon was invited to take part in a World Cup series at The Meadowlands
in the United States during 1982. He won two races at Gloucester Park later in 1981 before heading overseas. In America San Simeon failed to win in three starts and returned home to Western Australia. He made two further starts in 1983 without winning and was retired to stud. During his career he also won the WA 4&5yo Championship twice and the 2yo leg of the WA Triple Crown.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
best known for his Australasian record winning sequence of 29 races from his first start as a two year old until his defeat by Michael Frost during the 1981 Interdominion
Inter Dominion
The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
series in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. He also won three consecutive Australian Harness Horse of the Year
Australian Harness Horse of the Year
The Australian Harness Horse of the Year is an honour that recognises the top harness racing horse in the Australia. The award is selected by industry people and media representatives....
awards.
Racing career
San Simeon began his racing career on 11 November 1978 at BunburyBunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
, 175 kilometres south of Perth. He immediately began his 29 race winning sequence by winning all 10 starts as a two year old including the WA Golden Slipper and WA Champagne Stakes. He was voted Australian two-year-old (2yo) of the year for 1978/9, and the $50,162 he earned that season was a new Australian record for a horse of his age.
As a three year old San Simeon raced only six times but recorded a win at each start. He defeated Victorian visitor Gammalite
Gammalite
Gammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
in the Western Australian Derby and then beat him comfortably in the Australian Derby. Both races were held at Gloucester Park
Gloucester Park
Gloucester Park is a harness racing course in Perth, Western Australia. In the suburb of East Perth, the oval course is adjacent to the WACA Ground...
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. San Simeon was voted Australian 3yo of the year and his record now stood at 16 wins from 16 starts.
San Simeon began the 1980/1 season with a win at Harvey on 13 September. On 5 December 1980 he equalled the Australasian record winning streak of 24 wins held by Maori's Idol
Maori's Idol
Maori’s Idol was an Australian Standardbred racehorse. He was the first Australian trotter to break two minutes with a time of 1:59.3 on 19 November 1977 at Moonee Valley. Maori’s Idol became one of Australia's greatest trotters, with a record 24 successive race victories before placing in the...
and Lucky Creed by winning at Fremantle. He then set a new record of 25 wins on 12 December by winning the WA 4yo Classic. San Simeon then raced against the top open class horses for the first time in the Western Australian Pacing Cup series. As a relatively inexperienced four year old he was well handicapped with established stars Koala King
Koala King
Koala King was a former champion Australian Standardbred pacing horse of the 1970s and 80s who won a host of Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit and feature races including the 1980 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship at Harold Park Paceway and the 1981 A G Hunter Cup...
and Satinover giving him starts of 20 metres and 15m respectively. After winning both his heats he won the final on 2 January 1981 defeating King Carramar and Local Mark.
The Inter Dominion
Inter Dominion
The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
was held in Hobart for the first time and the relatively small circumference of the showgrounds circuit and handicap conditions may have contributed to the non-appearance of Satinover, Locarno, Delightful Lady
Delightful Lady
Delightful Lady was a New Zealand Standardbred racemare. She is notable in that she won two Auckland Trotting Cup races, one of the richest harness races in New Zealand. She won many races in the early 1980s including the Auckland Trotting Cup. She holds the record for the most wins in harness...
and Gammalite
Gammalite
Gammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
and the poor performances by New Zealand trained horses during the series. Koala King
Koala King
Koala King was a former champion Australian Standardbred pacing horse of the 1970s and 80s who won a host of Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit and feature races including the 1980 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship at Harold Park Paceway and the 1981 A G Hunter Cup...
, the previous winner, was injured. San Simeon won the slowest of three one mile heats on the first night to extend his sequence to 29 but the record went no further after he was defeated by Michael Frost on night two. "Very, very relieved" said trainer-driver Lou Austin regarding the defeat. After a third night win he was much too good for Single Again and Ardstraw in the final winning by 10 metres in track record time. Veteran Pure Steel
Pure Steel
Pure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times...
, competing in an Interdominion for the fifth time, finished fourth after conceding the winner 15m under the handicap conditions. He was voted Australian Harness Horse of the Year for season 1980/1 and was also Australian Grand Circuit Champion.
Following the Interdominion win San Simeon was invited to take part in a World Cup series at The Meadowlands
Meadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
in the United States during 1982. He won two races at Gloucester Park later in 1981 before heading overseas. In America San Simeon failed to win in three starts and returned home to Western Australia. He made two further starts in 1983 without winning and was retired to stud. During his career he also won the WA 4&5yo Championship twice and the 2yo leg of the WA Triple Crown.
Major honours
- 1980 Western Australian Derby
- 1980 Australian Derby
- 1981 Western Australian Pacing Cup
- 1981 InterdominionInter DominionThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
- 1980/1 Australian Harness Horse of the Year
- 1978/79 Australian 2yo of the Year
- 1979/80 Australian 3yo of the Year