Hall of Fame

Ken Marshall had in excess of 50 years experience as a harness racing official and track manager, serving primarily in Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Marshall was also a longtime United States Trotting Association (USTA) director, first elected to the board in 1988. He served as chairman of USTA District 2.

Growing up in Michigan, Marshall was exposed to harness racing from an early age. His father, Kenneth G. Marshall, was track superintendent at Hazel Park. Starting in 1951, young Ken spent his summers doing odd jobs around the track for spending money. He later earned degrees in French and English at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and a teaching certificate from the University of Detroit.

While working as an educator, Marshall lived his ideal life: teaching during the winter months and spending summers at Northville Downs, interning in the racing office. Marshall caught the eye of his mentor, Bill Connors, and became his assistant as the call of the harness racing industry won over his teaching career.

Working in tandem with Connors, Marshall worked at Hazel Park, Northville Downs, Pompano Park, Wolverine Raceway, The Meadows, Louisville Downs, Tropical Park (Miami), Gator Downs (Bayard) and Jackson at Northville Downs.

He served as race secretary at Hazel Park through the 1980s and 1990s, becoming the track's director of racing in 1997 and subsequently earning the title of director of racetrack operations in 2008.

A member of the American Harness Racing Secretaries Inc. since 1966, Marshall served as its president in 1980-1981 and as a director from 1982 to his death. He was also on the board of directors of Hazel Park Inc.

Marshall was instrumental in introducing several stakes races through the years, primarily at Hazel Park. Those races included the Nicole Hudock Memorial, MacFarlane Memorials, Motor City Pace, Belle Isle and Connors Memorial. Hazel Park also hosted the 1987 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot and the 1988 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace. At The Meadows, Marshall helped created the Currier & Ives with Delvin Miller.

Marshall was inducted into the Michigan Harness Hall of Fame in 2011 and into the Florida Harness Hall of Fame in 2015. At the time of his death he was the director of racetrack operations at Hazel Park Racing Inc.

Ken Marshall passed away on November 5, 2016.