charlie coleman
Charlie Coleman, one of the best-known caretakers ever to use a rub rag, was born in 1921 in Chester, South Carolina.
During his career, Coleman took care of many brilliant performers and was known to everyone simply as “Big Charlie.” He was widely respected for his patient handling of horses.
Coleman grew up in Chester and went to work for the late John F. Simpson Sr. when he was 14 and Simpson was 16. Coleman would be associated with the Simpson stable for his entire career. In the late 1930s, while Simpson was attending Clemson College, Coleman started traveling with the stable when it went north.
Coleman was the caretaker of the pacer My Birthday in 1942 when Simpson became the youngest driver ever to steer a 2:00 horse in a heat of the Maine Pacing Derby.
After serving in World War II, Coleman returned to South Carolina and worked for Harry Stout and Paul Vineyard for a while. But when Simpson returned to training horses, Coleman went back to work for him. Their association was to last four decades and was certainly one of the longest and closest relationships between a trainer and caretaker.
Charlie Coleman was caretaker of:
* Two Hambletonian winners: Triple Crown winner Ayres 3,1:56.4 ($254,027) in 1964 (trained by John Simpson Sr.) and Timothy T 3,1:58.4 ($896,968) in 1970 (trained by John Simpson Jr.).
* Two Little Brown Jug winners: Noble Adios p,3,T1:59.1 ($138,919) in 1956 and Bullet Hanover p,3,T1:55.3 ($132,578) in 1960.
* Five Kentucky Futurity winners: Ford Hanover 4,T1:58.3 ($62,205) in 1951, Ayres in 1964, Timothy T in 1970, Waymaker 3,1:59.4 ($74,150) in 1974 and Sugarcane Hanover 4,1:54.3 ($1,706,465) in 1986 (trained by Jim Simpson). Sugarcane Hanover also won the 1986 and 1987 Breeders Crown and 1988 March of Dimes Trot while in Coleman’s care.
Coleman was honored by Harness Tracks of America with the Red Smith Award for outstanding caretakers when that honor was initiated in 1987.
Charlie Coleman passed away on January 30, 2003 at the age of 81 in Orlando, Florida.