Hall of Fame

Harry Harvey was born in Duxbury, Vermont on October 22, 1923. While second trainer for Hall of Famer Delvin Miller, Harvey won the 1953 Hambletonian with Helicopter. Harvey was, at the time, the youngest man to win trotting's premier race.

Harvey went on to manage Delvin Miller's Meadow Lands Farm from 1954 to the late 1960s. This was at the height of Dale Frost's career. Harvey was the architect of the union between the mare Countess Vivian and Dale Frost. The subsequent foal, which was born on the farm, was the great pacing stallion Meadow Skipper. Also during that time, Adios became the farm and the sport's dominant pacing stallion.

Following the death of Adios, Harvey returned to driving and training again. In 1969 his UDRS was the best in the country at .508 for 200-299 starts. The following year, he led the UDRS with .462 points for 300 or more starts, all with horses he trained. Major races taken by Harvey, apart from the 1953 Hambletonian, include the Old Oaken Bucket, Prix d'Ete, the Harriman Cup, La Paloma, the Fox and Sheppard Stake, the Mistletoe Shalee, the Roosevelt Pace, Geers, Debutante and the American-National.

Harry Harvey also started his own breeding farm, Arden Hills, named after a nearby village. It had been an annex of Meadow Lands Farm ,where he had spent the previous twelve years as manager. There, for the next ten years, he stood three stallions. It was at nearby Arden Downs that, up until weeks before the pacing colt's three-year-old campaign, he developed, trained and drove Albatross, two-time Horse of the Year and 1996 Hall of Famer. During that time, Albatross, with Harvey at the reins, had 14 wins in 17 starts. Harvey also drove and trained the multiple stakes winner Lismore, dam of winners of $4 million. This great mare was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.

Contributor of a chapter on Farm Management for the USTA's original Care and Training of the Trotter and Pacer, Harry Harvey was also vice president of the Western Pennsylvania (The Meadows) Harness Horsemen's Association from 1962-1966. He served on the boards of both the Washington Trotting Association and the William Penn at Liberty Bell. A leader in a successful legislative initiative to provide funds for fair racing in the state of Pennsylvania, Harry Harvey was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1970.

Harry Harvey excelled as a trainer, driver and farm manager for the finest Standardbreds. His integrity, superior horsemanship, gentlemanly manner and self-effacing personality was acknowledged by all in the sport. Harvey was inducted into harness racing's Living Hall of Fame on July 7, 2002.

Harry Harvey passed away on July 17, 2016 at the age of 92.

Original text published in the Harness Racing Museum's 2002 Souvenir Journal

Museum statuette sculpted by Bev Lopez (1922-2014)