The first Californian Hambo-win
by Lisa Harkema
In 1938, Good Time Stable owner William Cane sold McLin, shortly after renamed McLin Hanover, just one week prior to the Hambletonian. In 1946 he repeated that by selling Chestertown to Walter E Smith of Los Angeles, president of the Western Harness Racing Association, just three days prior to the biggest race. Both horses, of course, went on to win the Hambletonian.
Chestertown was a slight favorite in the 1946 Hambletonian on the back of him defeating Victory Song in the National Stake a week prior. It was a fast rise to the top for a colt that didn’t even race at 2 – and oddly enough, Victory Song also only raced once at 2. Bred by Harry Knight’s Almahurst Farm, he was sold for $6,500 at the Tattersalls Sale to William H Cane’s Good Time Stable.
While Deanna, Westfield Girl, Bombs Away and others were building up their reputation at two, Chestertown spent the time grazing and training on E Roland Harriman’s Arden Stud Farm as he was not considered good enough yet. Entering the fray as a three-year-old, Chestertown failed to impress in this first two starts at Goshen’s Historic Track, but then started to make a name for himself by winning three races in Maine – including the National, where he defeated Victory Song in two straight heats.
Sold to Walter E Smith and Robert J Newman for $40,000 on Aug 5, just three days prior to the Hambletonian (the deal had been agreed a few days earlier, but was not finalized until three days prior to the big race), his new owners then turned his new colt over to Tom Berry literally days before the race. The 69-year-old Berry, originally from Britain, had won the 1930 Hambletonian with the exceptional Hanover’s Bertha, and had plenty of experience.