Hall of Fame

 



green speed

Year of Induction: 
2014
Year of Birth: 
1974
Inducted as a: 
Racehorse
Immortal: 
Yes
Elected as Immortal: 
2013
Election Into Living Hall of Fame: 
2013
Year of Death: 
1983
Gait: 
Trotter
Record: 
2,2:01f; 3,1:55.3; 4,1:56.4
Earnings: 
$953,013
Sire: 
Speedy Rodney
Dam: 
Peridot
Sire of Dam: 
Hickory Pride
Biography: 

Bred by Lloyd S. Lloyds of Palm Beach, Florida, world champion trotter Green Speed was foaled on December 18, 1973 at Pine Hollow Stud Farm in Pine Bush, New York. His ownership was given as a gift by Lloyd to his wife Beverly. Green Speed was trained and driven by Immortal Billy Haughton, and raced from 1976-1978, compiling a lifetime record of 56-37-4-6.

As a two-year-old, Green Speed won five New York Sire Stakes events, a division of the Westchester Trot, and a Hanover Colt Stake, where he set the world record for two-year-old trotting colts on a 5/8-mile track (2:01f). Green Speed was the second-leading moneywinning two-year-old trotting colt of 1976 with $99,781 in earnings.

In 1977, three-year-old Green Speed would win two legs of trotting’s Triple Crown (he was not eligible for the Kentucky Futurity). In addition to several New York Sire Stakes events, Green Speed was victorious in the Currier & Ives Trot (setting 2 world records for trotting heat races on a 5/8 mile track), Beacon Course Trot (Meadowlands track record), Batavia Downs Colt Stake (stake and track record), Yonkers Trot (stakes record), Hambletonian (setting or tying seven world records), Colonial (stakes record), Hanover Colt Stake and Leland Stanford Stakes (equaling the track record). In his sophomore campaign Green Speed won 16 of 21 starts, earning $584,405 and becoming the top single-season moneywinning Standardbred of all time. He finished the season holding thirteen world records, tied with Immortal Noble Victory as the fastest trotter of any age in a race (1:55.3), and claiming the title of fastest three-year-old trotter of all time. Green Speed’s eight two-minute miles during 1977 led all sophomore trotters. He was voted 1977 Harness Horse of the Year, Trotter of the Year and Three-Year-Old Trotter of the Year.

Four-year-old Green Speed finished on the board in 18 of 20 starts, with 13 wins and $268,827 in earnings. Victories included the Marquis de Lafayette and the American-National (tying the Sportsman’s Park track record and the 1:57.3f world record for all-age trotters while setting the record for his age). 1978 Aged Trotting Horse of the Year Green Speed recorded eight two-minute miles, equaling the efforts of Trotter of the Year Speedy Somolli. He retired as the leading moneywinning trotting stallion of all time and the holder of eleven world records.

Green Speed stood his entire career at Pine Hollow Stud. He produced one millionaire, 1983 Hambletonian winner, Trotter of the Year and Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year Duenna 3,1:56.3 ($1,131,920). Green Speed died of a ruptured cecum at Pine Hollow on June 27, 1983. He was only nine years old.