Teach
01-02-2008, 11:22 AM
Those of you who remember Burma Shave signs, the last time the Cubs were in the World Series and the days when the Hambletonian was raced at Good Time Park in Goshen, NY may recall a 1948 movie that starred Jane Russell and Bob Hope. It was called "Paleface." In that movie, Hope played a dentist, "Painless" Peter Potter". He sang a song (later made famous by Dinah Shore) called "Buttons and Bows." The lyrics begin: "East is east and west is west..."
Well, in the late 1950s East met West at Bay State Raceway in Foxboro, MA. The Easterner was born in New Hampshire but was based in North Carolina; the Westerner was born in Utah but was based in California.
Franklin "Frank" Safford, son of Perley Safford and Annie (Meade) Safford, was born in Keene, NH in 1910. Safford’s dad was an avid horse trainer who developed an equine colic remedy called "Safford’s Colic Cure." During summers, the elder Safford would sell his "Colic Cure" throughout New England.
Meanwhile, the younger Safford would be doing some traveling of his own — mostly to the winner’s circle. Safford would set a record in 1941 by winning fourteen consecutive starts at Saratoga Raceway. He would also lead the country that year in wins with 117. In the post-World War II years (1946 & ‘47) he was the leading driver at Long Island’s Roosevelt Raceway. In 1958 and 1960, he took driving honors at Bay State Raceway.
Safford would become a top trainer-driver for brothers Percy and Jere Gray of E. Providence, RI. In 1947-48, Safford would nearly sweep the Juvenile pacing events on the Grand Circuit with the Gray brothers-owned colt, Knight Dream. In 1948, with Safford in the bike, Knight Dream (who was later inducted into Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame) would win the Little Brown Jug.
In the years between 1939 (when USTA first started keeping records) and 1969, Safford won more than 1,600 races. He likely won at least that many in his pre-1939 driving years.
By the late 60s, Safford had turned strictly to training, particularly in the Philadelphia area. Safford would pass away in Southern Pines, NC in 1977. He was 67 years old. In 1981 Safford was posthumously inducted into Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame.
Clarence "Clare" Hansen was Safford’s driving rival at Bay State Raceway. He was a former Mormon bishop who was born in Salt Lake City, UT in 1895. Hansen would begin his driving career on the Utah Fair Circuit when he was only sixteen. He would later become Bay Meadows’s (CA) leading driver on three occasions during the late 1950s. During the years in which he was winning driving titles out west, Hansen would also venture east to compete both on the Grand Circuit and at Bay State Raceway’s half-mile oval. On those eastern visits, one of Hansen’s top horses was a veteran campaigner named Hawkins Hoss.
Hansen would drive more than 1,200 winners since the USTA started keeping records, but it’s estimated that "Clare" drove more than 1,000 winners prior to that. His official USTA earnings top out at more than one million dollars.
Through the years, Hansen owned and operated the Primrose Stock Farm in Beaumont, CA. During the course of his sixty-year harness racing career, Hansen drove some top-flight standardbreds. They included: Peter Primrose, Superfine, Mighty Moment, Dr. Bob, Walter F., Lida Woollen and Waruma F.
It was while driving at the Bay Meadows on February 3, 1971 that Hansen suffered an apparent heart attack after finishing sixth on a horse name Luella Primrose. He died in his tack room. Hansen was 76.
Yet, looking back, who could forget those nightly driving battles that were waged between Easterner and Westerner. The song lyrics say, "East is east, and west is west...."; but some fifty years ago — the two did meet, and harness racing fans from throughout New England were the better for it. They had the chance to see two of this country’s top reinsmen: Franklin "Frank" Safford and Clarence "Clare" Hansen.
Well, in the late 1950s East met West at Bay State Raceway in Foxboro, MA. The Easterner was born in New Hampshire but was based in North Carolina; the Westerner was born in Utah but was based in California.
Franklin "Frank" Safford, son of Perley Safford and Annie (Meade) Safford, was born in Keene, NH in 1910. Safford’s dad was an avid horse trainer who developed an equine colic remedy called "Safford’s Colic Cure." During summers, the elder Safford would sell his "Colic Cure" throughout New England.
Meanwhile, the younger Safford would be doing some traveling of his own — mostly to the winner’s circle. Safford would set a record in 1941 by winning fourteen consecutive starts at Saratoga Raceway. He would also lead the country that year in wins with 117. In the post-World War II years (1946 & ‘47) he was the leading driver at Long Island’s Roosevelt Raceway. In 1958 and 1960, he took driving honors at Bay State Raceway.
Safford would become a top trainer-driver for brothers Percy and Jere Gray of E. Providence, RI. In 1947-48, Safford would nearly sweep the Juvenile pacing events on the Grand Circuit with the Gray brothers-owned colt, Knight Dream. In 1948, with Safford in the bike, Knight Dream (who was later inducted into Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame) would win the Little Brown Jug.
In the years between 1939 (when USTA first started keeping records) and 1969, Safford won more than 1,600 races. He likely won at least that many in his pre-1939 driving years.
By the late 60s, Safford had turned strictly to training, particularly in the Philadelphia area. Safford would pass away in Southern Pines, NC in 1977. He was 67 years old. In 1981 Safford was posthumously inducted into Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame.
Clarence "Clare" Hansen was Safford’s driving rival at Bay State Raceway. He was a former Mormon bishop who was born in Salt Lake City, UT in 1895. Hansen would begin his driving career on the Utah Fair Circuit when he was only sixteen. He would later become Bay Meadows’s (CA) leading driver on three occasions during the late 1950s. During the years in which he was winning driving titles out west, Hansen would also venture east to compete both on the Grand Circuit and at Bay State Raceway’s half-mile oval. On those eastern visits, one of Hansen’s top horses was a veteran campaigner named Hawkins Hoss.
Hansen would drive more than 1,200 winners since the USTA started keeping records, but it’s estimated that "Clare" drove more than 1,000 winners prior to that. His official USTA earnings top out at more than one million dollars.
Through the years, Hansen owned and operated the Primrose Stock Farm in Beaumont, CA. During the course of his sixty-year harness racing career, Hansen drove some top-flight standardbreds. They included: Peter Primrose, Superfine, Mighty Moment, Dr. Bob, Walter F., Lida Woollen and Waruma F.
It was while driving at the Bay Meadows on February 3, 1971 that Hansen suffered an apparent heart attack after finishing sixth on a horse name Luella Primrose. He died in his tack room. Hansen was 76.
Yet, looking back, who could forget those nightly driving battles that were waged between Easterner and Westerner. The song lyrics say, "East is east, and west is west...."; but some fifty years ago — the two did meet, and harness racing fans from throughout New England were the better for it. They had the chance to see two of this country’s top reinsmen: Franklin "Frank" Safford and Clarence "Clare" Hansen.