Harness race enthusiasts compete at fair

By MARTHA KRIENKE

Journal Staff Writer

ST. PETER -- The annual harness race kicked off the Nicollet County Fair on Wednesday afternoon in St. Peter.

Fifty horses and their drivers from Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin competed on the track in eight, one-mile paces.

Rob's Reward, owned by Banks Standardbreds of Cannon Falls, set a new record for the Nicollet County track finishing in two minutes and two seconds flat.

Greg Budach from Janesville competed in four of the paces. He has been involved in harness racing for over 25 years as an owner, trainer and driver. He and his wife Michelle serve as secretary and treasurer of the Board of Directors for Minnesota Harness Racing, Inc.

Budach's favorite part of the process is "taking a horse that doesn't know anything and getting them to the point where they're winning races," he said.

At the Nicollet Fair, Budach and Anzio's Attention, owned by Howard Jensen of Albert Lea, won first place in the Minnesota Bred Class B competition. The $5,000 purse was split among the top five finishers.

Beth Dale and Bruce Tostenrud of New Ulm raced their horse Hurricane Jekyll for the first time at the fair. "It's a thrilling thing to watch," said Dale, "but it's even more thrilling when you're a participant."

Dale and Tostenrud bought their first Minnesota Bred horse from Budach, who was named Driver of the Year in 1999 and 2000. Hurricane Jekyll is an offspring of that horse.

Dale admires the athleticism of the horses and skill of the drivers in harness racing.

"It takes a lot of work and dedication," she said. Hurricane Jekyll was harness broken while still a yearling. In the early spring, she began training on rural gravel roads to prepare for the racing season.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Jekyll came in last place in the Minnesota Bred Class C competition at the fair. Dale said the horse was not used to the curves on the track and needed some adjustments on the harness. She hopes for a better run at the Owatonna harness race on Aug. 16 and 17.

Known as the "Sport of the Common Man," harness racing began in the United States as friendly competition between neighbors. During the1800s, harness racing became extremely popular in the States, according to the World Book Encyclopedia.

In 1905 the Minnesota-owned harness horse "Dan Patch" paced a mile in one minute, 55 seconds at the Minnesota State Fair. "Dan Patch was famous across the country and traveled in his own luxury boxcar for exhibitions across the United States," said Dale. "He was the first American sports hero."

People lost interest in harness racing when automobiles became the primary mode of transportation in the early 1900s.

"Today harness horses share the track they race on with cars," Dale said. "Demolition derbies are commonly held on the same tracks." In the 1940s the sport's popularity grew again when pari-mutuel betting and night races were introduced.

Upcoming harness races will be held in Barnum, Owatonna, Wheaton and Canterbury Park in Shakopee.

Dale and Tostenrud have published a website for more information on harness racing in Minnesota at harnessracingminnesota.com.

"Although the horses racing today are considerably faster, and the competition is more fierce, much of the original spirit can be witnessed at Minnesota county fair tracks," said Dale.