cardigan bay
Foaled in 1956 in New Zealand, the son of Hal Tryax and Colwyn Bay, this bay gelding rewrote the record books in his native land and Australia. The pacer became the first horse to win the coveted Inter-Dominion Championship and the two-mile New Zealand Cup in the same year. When news of Cardigan Bay's exploits reached America, the renowned trainer-driver Stanley Dancer journeyed "down under," finally acquiring the horse in early 1964. Cardigan Bay quickly became a headliner in North America, winning thirty-seven races during a four-year span. The high point of his career was the "Pace of the Century" in 1966, when he defeated three-time Horse of the Year Bret Hanover before a crowd of over 36,000. Cardigan Bay became the first million dollar winner on September 14, 1968 and was retired shortly thereafter. He died in 1988 in New Zealand.
Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 1994 book, The Immortals