Wavethebill - NZ’s fastest free-legged pacer?
Free-legged pacers remain a rarity in harness racing, world-wide; So with Wavethebill (WTB) (1:51:1 winning mile rate) starting to hit his straps, we started to wonder - Where does he fit in respect of those who’ve gone before?
Most pacers will wear hopples to help them pace, but a small few are capable of racing without them. These horses are said to be free legged as they don't wear hopples in pacing events. WTB recently joined this club. Typically it is a last resort for horses who resent the hopples and can be inclined to bolt and/or break stride during a race. This was not the case for WTB as he’d worked this way previously with SImon Adlam.
On 25 Nov 2022, Ken Casellas writing for Harness Racing Australia mentions El Chema as a rising star of the future. The New Zealand bred 4YO has managed 8 wins from 23 starts since arriving in Western Australia in August 2019. Interestingly, El Chema is a 1/2 brother to Spirit of St. Louis (1.48.2. and currently campaigning in the 2022 Interdominion Series at Ballarat, Victoria). Although, with a 1.56.9 best winning mile rate at Bunbury over 2100m on 7 Oct 2022, El Chema still has away to go to catch WTB.
Lawn Derby is probably Australia’s finest unhoppled pacer. In the 1930s he won 31 races and smashed records on almost every track on which he started. However, when it comes to pure timing, Avonnova at 1.51.3 in 2015 became the fastest Australian free-legged pacer. He is the middle horse in the slideshow above.
The three time Queensland Horse of the Year, Avonnova, would go on to win a total of 55 races from 178 starts and $967k stakes. He raced at the top level, including a fourth behind Lennytheshark at Gloucester Park in the 2014 Interdominion Grand Final.
Closer to home, Robalan (feature photo) was considered the best in New Zealand harness racing history. Reared and educated in Southland during his early years, by Gil Shirley, John Hendeson, Alan Devery, and Alex Townley; Robalan rose to prominence when trained by Dennis Nyhan . The winner of 40 races, with a best of 1:57.6, Robalan set a world record for 2000m 2:26.6 (1:58.1) in 1974. For more background on Avonnova and Robalan horses read this article by Peter Greig at Harnessbred.com
We’re not done yet though - Major Hottie with a 1:48.3 mile rate is the fastest free-legged pacer in harness racing history by virtue of his lifetime mark taken at Mohawk Racetrack, Alberta, Canada. He is third from the RHS in the slide show. Major Hottie paced 25 sub 1:50 miles.
The final word, according to the history, there is no doubt whatsoever about the most famous free-legged pacer of all time; the amazing American stallion Dan Patch who retired in 1909 as the holder of nine world records.