William R. Haughton Memorial Pace

The William R. Haughton Memorial Pace (formerly known as the Governor Alfred E. Driscoll Pace) is a mile and one-eighth race for Standardbred Free-For-All pacers age four and older run annually at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.[1]

William R. Haughton Memorial Pace
LocationMeadowlands Racing & Entertainment
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Inaugurated1977 (47 years ago) (1977)
Race typeStandardbred (Pace)
Websiteplaymeadowlands.com
Race information
Distance1+18 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
Qualification4-year-olds
Purse$444,000 (2023)

Currently, the race is held on the same card at the Meadowlands every third Saturday in July, alongside Stanley Dancer Memorial, Mistletoe Shalee, Dorothy Houghton Memorial, Hambletonian Maturity and Miss Versatility, as well as one of the racetrack's most signature events, the Meadowlands Pace.

Historical race events

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First run in 1977, the race was known as the Governor Alfred E. Driscoll Pace in honor of Governor of New Jersey, Alfred E. Driscoll. In 1999 it was renamed in honor of legendary driver/trainer William Robert "Billy" Haughton.[2]

From inception through 2015 the race was set at a distance of one mile.[3]

On July 16, 2022, Bulldog Hanover made harness racing history by clocking in the fastest pace mile ever, winning the 2022 race with a time of 1:45 4/5.[4]

Records

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Most wins by a driver
Most wins by a trainer
  • 3 – Joe Holloway (1984, 1985, 1986) & Virgil Morgan, Jr. (2007, 2008, 2013)
Stakes record at 1 1/8 miles
  • 2:01 1/5 – Always B Miki (2016; world record)
Stakes record at 1 mile
  • 1:45 4/5 – Bulldog Hanover (2022; fastest mile in harness racing history)[4]

William R. Haughton Memorial winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Driver
Trainer
Owner
Time
Purse
2023 Charlie May 5 David Miller Steve Carter Don Tiger 1:47 1/5 $444,000
2022 Bulldog Hanover[4] 4 Dexter Dunn Noel M. Daley Jack Darling Stables Ltd., Bradley Grant 1:45 4/5 $500,000
2021 Allywag Hanover 4 Tood McCarthy Brett Pelling Diamond Creek Racing 1:47 1/5 $265,400
2020 Dancin Lou 4 Brian Sears Tah Camilleri David C. Kryway 1:47 2/5 $391,300
2019 Lather Up 4 Montrell Teague Clyde Francis Gary Iles, Barbara Iles 2:01 1/5 $423,000
2018 Mcwicked 7 Brian Sears Casie Coleman S S G Stables 2:02 2/5 $471,100
2017 Mach It So 7 David Miller Jeffery Bammond, Jr. Bamond Racing LLC 2:00 4/5 $427,400
2016 Always B Miki 5 David Miller Jimmy Takter Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable, Christina E. Takter 2:01 1/5 $471,800
2015 Mach It So 5 Tim Tetrick Jeffrey Bamond, Jr. Bamond Racing 1:48 1/5 $430,600
2014 Sweet Lou 5 Ronald Pierce Ron Burke Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr, Phil Collura 1:47 1/5 $463,000
2013 Pet Rock 4 David Miller Virgil Morgan, Jr. Frank & Joe Bellino 1:47 0/0 $471,800
2012 Golden Receiver 7 Andy Miller Mark Harder Stable 45, Richard Taylor, Stephen Springer, Nina Simmonds 1:48 2/5 $431,400
2011 Alexie Mattosie 5 George Brennan Nikolas Drennan Donald Lindsey, Paul Kleinpaste, Dennis Mavrin, William Alempijevic 1:48 1/5 $523,000
2010 Shark Gesture 7 George Brennan Larry & Ray Remmen Norman Smiley, Gerald Smiley, TLP Stable 1:48 2/5 $702,500
2009 Shark Gesture 6 Tim Tetrick Larry & Ray Remmen Norman Smiley, Gerald Smiley, TLP Stable 1:48 2/5 $688,000
2008 Mister Big 5 Brian Sears Virgil Morgan, Jr. Joseph Muscara, Sr. 1:49 0/0 $600,000
2007 Mister Big 4 David Miller Virgil Morgan, Jr. Joseph Muscara, Sr. 1:48 2/5 $650,000
2006 Leading X Ample 4 David Miller William Elliott Leading X Ample Stable 1:48 2/5 $650,000
2005 Dr No 4 Catello Manzi William Elliott Brian Legge, Dr. David Legge, Robert Stewart 1:50 1/5 $700,000
2004 Four Starzzz Shark 6 Michel Lachance David Sabatelli Four Starzzz Shark Stable (J. Cohen & M. Sudaley) 1:48 1/5 $700,000
2003 McArdle 4 Michel Lachance Christopher J. Ryder TLP Stable 1:50 0/0 $650,000
2002 Four Starzzz Shark 4 Jim Morrill, Jr. Edward Hart Four Starzzz Shark Stable (J. Cohen & M. Sudaley) 1:49 3/5 $650,000
2001 Armbro Positive 7 Howard Parker David Macneill Perfect World Enterprises 1:49 1/5 $618,000
2000 Western Ideal 5 Michel Lachance Brett Pelling Brittany Farms 1:48 3/5 $615,000
1999 Red Bow Tie 5 Luc Ouellette Monte Gelrod Clifford Siegel, David Scharf, TLP Stable, D'Elegance Stable IX 1:48 2/5 $600,000
1998 Pacific Fella 5 Catello Manzi Edward Lohmeyer Joseph Alborano 1:49 3/5 $250,000
1997 Armbro Operative 4 Michel Lachance Noel Daley Thomas Walsh, Jr. & David McDuffee 1:50 0/0 $250,000
1996 Jenna's Beach Boy 4 Bill Fahy Joe Holloway Leon P. DeVisser 1:47 3/5 $200,000
1995 Village Jiffy 5 Paul MacDonnell William Wellwood Wellwood Stables Inc., Charles Armstrong 1:50 4/5 $200,000
1994 Under Orders 4 Peter Wrenn William Robinson Anthony & Joseph Spadafora 1:50 4/5 $200,000
1993 Staying Together 4 Bill O'Donnell Robert McIntosh Robert Hamather 1:49 2/5 $205,000
1992 Artsplace 4 John Campbell Robert McIntosh Brittany Farms 1:50 3/5 $192,000
1991 Prince Ebony 8 Ronald Pierce George Patlias Marinos Bouras 1:50 3/5 $210,000
1990 TK's Skipper 4 Michel Lachance Nick Sodano Jerebel Stables (Jerry Dubiner) 1:51 3/5 $211,000
1989 Matt's Scooter 4 Michel Lachance Harry J. Poulton Gordon & Illa Rumpel, Charles Juravinski 1:50 1/5 $196,000
1988 Jaguar Spur 4 Richard Stillings Richard Stillings Roy Davis & Barberry Farm 1:50 3/5 $200,000
1987 Governors Choice 7 Jim Doherty Jim Doherty 1:51 3/5 $178,000
1986 Forrest Skipper 4 Lucien Fontaine Marc Fontaine Forrest Bartlett 1:51 3/5 $180,000
1985 Tuff Choice 4 John Campbell Joe Holloway Shady Stable partnership (Milton Rovine) 1:53 0/0 $174,000
1984 Glen Almahurst 4 Eddie Davis Joe Holloway Shady Stable partnership (Milton Rovine) 1:52 1/5 $203,000
1983 Cam Fella 4 Pat Crowe Pat Crowe Norman Clements & Norman Faulkner, JEF's Stable 1:53 2/5 $183,000
1982 Genghis Khan 6 Bill O'Donnell Eddie Cobb Eddie Cobb, Nevacal Stable, Jet Star Farms 1:53 4/5 $164,000
1981 Royce 4 John Campbell James Crane A. & C. Skolnick, J. & P. Crane 1:53 4/5 $193,000
1980 Tijuana Taxi 4 Jim Miller Jim Miller Barr M Stable 1:54 3/5 $167,000
1979 Dream Maker 6 Ron Waples William Robinson Antonio Chiaravalle 1:54 3/5 $171,000
1978 Whata Baron 6 Lewis D. Williams Lewis D. Williams Ed Freeburg 1:54 4/5 $152,000
1977 Rambling Willie 7 Robert Farrington Robert Farrington Vivian Farrington & Paul Seibert 1:55 1/5 $186,000

References

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  1. ^ Meadowlands 2015-2016 Media Guide Retrieved September 23, 2016
  2. ^ United States Trotting Association - July 6, 2004 Retrieved October 19, 2016
  3. ^ The Harness Edge - July 16, 2016[usurped] Retrieved September 24, 2016
  4. ^ a b c "Bulldog Hanover becomes outright fastest pacer ever". July 16, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022