Su Mac Lad
Encyclopedia
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
. He won the International Trot
held at Roosevelt Raceway
in both 1961 and 1963, and was recognized in both of those years as trotter of year.
Su Mac Lad was owned by I. W. Berkemeyer of New Milford, New Jersey
who purchased the gelding in 1959, and was trained and driven by Stanley Dancer
. Su Mac Lad had a distinct lack of classical horseracing pedigree, having been born on a nondescript farm owned by Mrs. Paul Davis, a breeder in Henderson, Illinois
. He was sold as a two-year old for $750 and was purchased by Berkemeyer in 1959 for $35,000.
In a six-horse field at the 1961 International Trot, Su Mac Lad, driven by Dancer, finished in a time of 2:34.4 in driving rain and a sloppy track in front of 28,105 racing fans, with the French horse Kracovie in second by what The New York Times
called "the smallest of noses" with American horse Tie Silk in third. The victory made Su Mac Lad the first American horse to take the title. This was the third annual running of the race, described as having "blossomed into one of the world's blue-ribbon harness racing events".
In the first American sweep in the series, the lightly regarded Tie Silk, who had finished in third the previous year and sixth the year before, won the $50,000 race in front of a crowd of 53,279. Six-year old Tie Silk, driven by Keith Waples
, won in a time of 2:34.2, with favorite and returning winner Su Mac Lad in second and world record holder Porterhouse in third.
Su Mac Lad, returned to win the 1963 running of the International Trot in a seven-horse field, before a crowd of 41,197. Driven by Stanley Dancer, Su Mac Lad paid bettors $2.90 to win in tying a world record at the 1¼-mile distance with a time of 2:32.6. The 9-to-20 favorite came in a half-length ahead of Martini II who in turn beat Tie Silk by 7½ lengths. The $25,000 Su Mac Lad took home brought his career winnings to $687,549, the most of any pacer or trotter as of that date.
At the time of his retirement in 1965, Su Mac Lad was the sport's leading career money earner with $885,695 brought in during a total of 151 races, with the horse winning 68 times, coming in second on 32 occasions and taking third 18 times.
Su Mac Lad died at age 28 on September 19, 1982 at Stanley Dancer
's farm where he resided following his retirement from professional racing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
trotter
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:...
. 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
Harness Horse of the Year
The Harness Horse of the Year is an honor recognizing the top harness racing horse in the United States. The award is selected by the United States Trotting Association and the United States Harness Writers Association....
. He won the International Trot
International Trot
The International Trot was a harness racing event held in the New York City area that aimed to appeal to a mix of United States and international entrants. The inaugural event was held at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York in 1959, and was held at the track until its closure in 1988....
held at Roosevelt Raceway
Roosevelt Raceway
The Roosevelt Raceway motor sports race track was a Vanderbilt Cup / GP venue on New York's Long Island for the United States Grand Prix in 1936 and 1937. The original raceway was twisty and bumpy, making it not quite suited to the big-bore big-BHP racecars of the day. The 1937 layout was faster,...
in both 1961 and 1963, and was recognized in both of those years as trotter of year.
Su Mac Lad was owned by I. W. Berkemeyer of New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,...
who purchased the gelding in 1959, and was trained and driven by Stanley Dancer
Stanley Dancer
Stanley Franklin Dancer was an American harness racing driver and trainer. He was the only horsemen to drive and train three Triple Crowns in horse racing. In total, he drove 23 Triple Crown winners. He was the first trainer to campaign a horse to $1 million in a career, Cardigan Bay in 1968 and...
. Su Mac Lad had a distinct lack of classical horseracing pedigree, having been born on a nondescript farm owned by Mrs. Paul Davis, a breeder in Henderson, Illinois
Henderson, Illinois
Henderson is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 319 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.Post office in Henderson, IL circa 2011.-Geography:...
. He was sold as a two-year old for $750 and was purchased by Berkemeyer in 1959 for $35,000.
In a six-horse field at the 1961 International Trot, Su Mac Lad, driven by Dancer, finished in a time of 2:34.4 in driving rain and a sloppy track in front of 28,105 racing fans, with the French horse Kracovie in second by what The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called "the smallest of noses" with American horse Tie Silk in third. The victory made Su Mac Lad the first American horse to take the title. This was the third annual running of the race, described as having "blossomed into one of the world's blue-ribbon harness racing events".
In the first American sweep in the series, the lightly regarded Tie Silk, who had finished in third the previous year and sixth the year before, won the $50,000 race in front of a crowd of 53,279. Six-year old Tie Silk, driven by Keith Waples
Keith Waples
Keith Waples is a Hall of Fame sulky driver and trainer in the sport of harness racing. In 1959, Waples became the first driver to record a sub two-minute mile in Canada and the first to win a $100,000 race in Canada.In 1962, Keith Waples drove Tie Silk to victory in the International Trot at...
, won in a time of 2:34.2, with favorite and returning winner Su Mac Lad in second and world record holder Porterhouse in third.
Su Mac Lad, returned to win the 1963 running of the International Trot in a seven-horse field, before a crowd of 41,197. Driven by Stanley Dancer, Su Mac Lad paid bettors $2.90 to win in tying a world record at the 1¼-mile distance with a time of 2:32.6. The 9-to-20 favorite came in a half-length ahead of Martini II who in turn beat Tie Silk by 7½ lengths. The $25,000 Su Mac Lad took home brought his career winnings to $687,549, the most of any pacer or trotter as of that date.
At the time of his retirement in 1965, Su Mac Lad was the sport's leading career money earner with $885,695 brought in during a total of 151 races, with the horse winning 68 times, coming in second on 32 occasions and taking third 18 times.
Su Mac Lad died at age 28 on September 19, 1982 at Stanley Dancer
Stanley Dancer
Stanley Franklin Dancer was an American harness racing driver and trainer. He was the only horsemen to drive and train three Triple Crowns in horse racing. In total, he drove 23 Triple Crown winners. He was the first trainer to campaign a horse to $1 million in a career, Cardigan Bay in 1968 and...
's farm where he resided following his retirement from professional racing.