Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Father's Day Specials At The Big M

June 19, 2005

While America gets ready to honor "Dear Old Dad" this Sunday, the Meadowlands has its own share of unique father and son milestones on which to look back. On May 12, 1991, an equine father and son team made Meadowlands history when they competed in the same race. Oregon, age 13, and his seven-year-old son Zealot not only raced in the same event, they finished first and second. Oregon set a lifetime mark of 1:57.1 and the exacta paid more than $60. Bill O'Donnell drove the winner. No standardbred father and son have appeared in the same race at the Meadowlands since then.

Mike and Patrick Lachance produced the first father-son deadheat in track history on December 11, 2002. Patrick, driving Brandyz Baby, caught Mike and Big Duchess at the wire and shared the 1:58.4 win in the ninth race that evening.

On May 25, 1981, a father-son exacta occurred as Bill and Tom Haughton finished one-two with trotters Burgomeister and Final Score, respectively.

In 1985, the Soren Nordin competed against his son, Jan Nordin, in the Hambletonian. Soren finished second with Ron B Hanover and Jan Nordin was tenth with Master Willie in the final heat, which was won by Prakas.

The late Carl Allen and his son Rod were the first father-son team to drive the winners of $1 million races - Carl with Carl's Bird in the 1983 Woodrow Wilson and Rod with Carlsbad Cam in the 1992 Meadowlands Pace.

Three equine father and sons have won the Meadowlands Pace: Cam's Card Shark [1994] and Holborn Hanover [2004], Matt's Scooter [1988] and Mach Three [2002]; and Niatross [1980] and Nihilator [1984].