Walnut Hall Cup
| Location | Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. (inaugural) |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1897 |
| Race type | Harness race for standardbred trotters |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile (1,609 metres or 8 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt/Clay |
| Track | The Red Mile (inaugural) |
| Qualification | 2:17 class (1897; inaugural) 2-year-old trotters (present) |
The Walnut Hall Cup was a harness racing event for standardbred trotters. The inaugural race took place at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1897.
History
In April 1897, the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders' Association's board of directors established its annual fixed program of events and added the Walnut Hall Farm Cup as a new stakes feature. Lamon V. Harkness, then owner and operator of the Walnut Hall stock farm, presented the owner of the winning trotters an inscribed sterling silver cup trophy worth $500.[1] The original cup, crafted by Tiffanys, stood 10 inches high and 11 inches across the handles, with an inside diameter of more than seven inches. It featured three large handles, a heavy carved base, and a gold-lined interior. One side read "Walnut Hall Farm Cup" in raised letters, and the other side was left for the winner's inscription.[2] A purse of $2,500 was offered by the association.[1] The first Walnut Hall Cup was held at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 12, 1897. The first horse to win was The Monk, driven by Edward Geers, winning three of four closely contested heats.[3]
Early on, eligibility for the Walnut Hall Cup was defined by time classes that progressively evolved over time. The eligibility of the inaugural race was for the 2:17 class of trotters.[1] By 1911, the Walnut Hall Cup was, alongside the Transylvania, considered the most highly prized aged race sponsored by the association.[4] The all-aged event formed part of the Lexington Grand Circuit program and became the secondary feature to the Kentucky Futurity at the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association track.
After the death of L. V. Larkness in 1915, the silver trophy continued to be awarded by Walnut Hall Farm, then operated by his estate.[5] Larkness's son-in-law, Dr. Odgen M. Edwards Jr., who became head of Walnut Hall Farm, went on to donate the trophy.[6] The Walnut Hall Farm tradition was later continued by its owners Katherine and H. Willis Nichols Jr.
The first Walnut Hall-bred winner of the race came in 1921, when Alonzo 'Lon' McDonald drove Jeanette Rankin.[7]
The Walnut Hall Cup became one of Lexington's oldest features.[8] The historic race developed into an event for two-year-old trotting colts ahead of the 1970 Grand Circuit program, and by the mid-1980s it was an important stepping stone toward the Breeders Crown.
It was eventually featured as the Walnut Hall Limited Cup alongside the Bluegrass Stakes program for two-year-old colt trotters and filly pacers at the Red Mile.[9]
Distances
When introduced in 1897, the Walnut Hall Cup was run over a distance of one mile.
Locations
- 1897–2000s: The Red Mile, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Records
- Most wins by a driver
- 6 – Stanley Dancer (1959, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1976)
Walnut Hall Cup winners
| Year | Winner | Driver | Trainer | Owner | Time | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | The Monk | Edward Geers | — | — | 2:11 1/2 | — | ||
| 1898 | Nico | Henry Titer | — | J. Malcolm Forbes | 2:11 1/4 | — | ||
| 1899 | Ellert | B. VanBokkelen | — | — | 2:15 | — | ||
| 1900 | Chain Shot | George West | Charles Laabs | Arthur Caton | 2:15 1/2 | — | ||
| 1901 | Captor | Charles Marvin | — | — | 2:09 3/4 | Stakes record | ||
| 1902 | Nutbearer | W. O. Foote | — | Joe E. Hubinger | 2:09 3/4 | — | ||
| 1903 | Billy Buck | Edward Geers | — | — | 2:07 3/4 | Stakes record | ||
| 1904 | Redwood | Jimmie Burns | Jimmie Burns | W. J. Bennet | 2:09 3/4 | — | ||
| 1905 | Turley | Edward Geers | Edward Geers | M. N. McFarland | 2:07 1/4 | Stakes record | ||
| 1906 | Nutboy | M. E. McHenry | — | J. A. Crabtree & Lotta Crabtree | 2:11 3/4 | — | ||
| 1907 | Jack Leyburn | Edward Geers | — | Edward & Joseph Medden | 2:08 1/2 | — | ||
| 1908 | Uhlan | Robert "Bob" Proctor | — | Charles Sanders | 2:07 1/2 | — | ||
| 1909 | Penisa Maid | M. D. Shutt | M. D. Shutt | M. D. Shutt | 2:13 3/4 | — | ||
| 1910 | Joan | Michael McDevitt | — | Capt. David Shaw | 2:04 3/4 | Stakes record | ||
| 1911 | R.T.C. | Thomas W. Murphy | — | Edward Thompson | 2:08 3/4 | — | ||
| 1912 | Dorsch Medium | Edward Geers | — | — | 2:07 1/2 | — | ||
| 1913 | Fan Patch | W. L. Snow | — | S. J. Housel | 2:08 | — | ||
| 1914 | Rythmell | Bert Shank | Bert Shank | Henry H. Stambaugh | 2:04 1/2 | Stakes record | ||
| 1915 | Peter Scott | Thomas W. Murphy | Thomas W. Murphy | — | 2:05 3/4 | — | ||
| 1916 | Mabel Trask | Walter R. Cox | — | — | 2:07 1/2 | — | ||
| 1917 | Early Dreams | Alonzo 'Lon' McDonald | — | — | 2:04 1/4 | Stakes record[10] | ||
| 1918 | Ante Guy | Thomas W. Murphy | — | Ottinger Brothers | 2:03 1/2 | Stakes record | ||
| 1919 | Baron Cegantle | Alonzo 'Lon' McDonald | — | — | 2:05 1/2 | — | ||
| 1920 | Bonnie Del | Thomas Hinds | Thomas Hinds | Thomas Hinds | 2:04 3/4 | — | ||
| 1921 | Jeanette Rankin | Alonzo 'Lon' McDonald | — | Walnut Hall Farm | 2:04 1/2 | — | ||
| 1922 | The Great Volo | Walter R. Cox | — | Sanford Small | 2:03 1/2 | — | ||
| 1923 | Favonian | Ben White | Fred Edman | Fred Edman | 2:03 1/4 | — | ||
| 1924 | Tilly Brooke | Thomas W. Murphy | — | — | 2:01 3/4 | Stakes record | ||
| 1925 | Crawford | Thomas W. Murphy | — | — | 2:04 1/4 | — | ||
| 1926 | Guy Ozark | William K. Dickerson | William K. Dickerson | E. Roland Harriman | 2:05 | — | ||
| 1927 | Hazelton | Walter R. Cox | — | — | 2:03 3/4 | — | ||
| 1928 | Dewey McKinney | Walter R. Cox | — | Claude Luddington | 2:02 1/2 | — | ||
| 1929 | Gaylworthy | H. H. Stokes | — | W. N. Reynolds | 2:05 1/2 | — | ||
| 1930 | Hollyrood Chief | Will Leese | — | Frank E. Piper | 2:01 | Stakes record | ||
| 1931 | Allie Pluto | Charles Mabrey | — | H. E. Mabrey | 2:01 1/2 | — | ||
| 1932 | No races | |||||||
| 1933 | Vansandt | Earl Pitman | — | Irwin W. Gleason | 2:02 1/2 | — | ||
| 1934 | Taffy Volo | Ben White | — | R. J. Reynolds | 2:01 1/2 | — | ||
| 1935 | Calumet Durham | Sep Palin | — | — | 2:01 1/2 | — | ||
| 1936 | Lee Hanover | Charley Lacey | Homer D. Biery | Biery Farm | 2:01 | — | ||
| 1937 | Guy Scotland | William C. Moore | William C. Moore | William C. Moore | 2:01 3/4 | — | ||
| 1938 | Havoline | Will F. Caton | — | Gibson D. White | 2:02 1/4 | — | ||
| 1939 | Senator V | Robert Vallery | — | L. E. Greer | 2:01 3/4 | — | ||
| 1940 | Spud Hanover | Harry Pownall | — | E. Roland Harriman | 2:03 | — | ||
| 1941 | Speed King | Harry Craig | — | A. F. Williams | 2:02 1/2 | — | ||
| 1942 | Volarion | J. F. Cartnal | — | L. E. Greer | 2:03 1/2 | — | ||
| 1943 | Morate | Fred Egan | — | Charles W. Phellis | 2:04 | — | ||
| 1944 | Love Song | Thomas S. Berry | — | Vic Holdaway | 2:00 | — | ||
| 1945 | Spartan Hanover | Franklin Safford | — | T. J. Sullivan | 2:04 3/4 | — | ||
| 1946 | Walter Spencer | Harry Pownall | — | Arden Homestead Stable | 2:02 3/4 | — | ||
| 1947 | Don Scott | Delvin Miller | — | W. N. Reynolds | 2:02 2/5 | — | ||
| 1948 | Chris Spencer | Harry Whitney | — | Dunbar W. Bostwick | 2:00 2/5 | — | ||
| 1949 | Moses | Dee Stover | — | Glenn Barker | 2:03 | — | ||
| 1950 | Pronto Don | Sep Palin | — | — | 2:00 1/5 | [11] | ||
| 1951 | Miss Excellency | Johnny Simpson | — | C. N. Myers & L. B. Sheppard | 2:04 | — | ||
| 1952 | Yankee Hanover | Frank Ervin | — | Mrs. John L. Wehle | 2:01 | — | ||
| 1953 | Scotch Victor | Joe O'Brien | — | S. A. Camp Farms | 2:02 | — | ||
| 1954 | Jamie | Bob Parkinson | — | A. D. Knapp | 1:59 2/5 | — | ||
| 1955 | Deckwin | Wilbur Long | — | Austin Bros. | 2:02 4/5 | — | ||
| 1956 | Lady's First | Charlie King | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957 | Empress Rodney | William McMillen | — | J. B. Carnes | 2:04 4/5 | — | ||
| 1958 | Fisherman | Richard Buxton | — | William M. Johnson | 2:00 3/5 | — | ||
| 1959 | Morgan Calhoun | Stanley Dancer | — | Donald E. Williams | 2:00 4/5 | — | ||
| 1960 | Demon Damsel | Delvin Miller | — | Robert & Henry Critchfield | — | — | ||
| 1961 | Hoot Frost | Joe O'Brien | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962 | Behave | Ralph N. Baldwin | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1963 | Pack Hanover | Jimmy Hackett | — | Samuel Hutenbauer | 2:00 | — | ||
| 1964 | Dashing Rodney | Harold Dancer Sr. | — | Armour Stable | — | — | ||
| 1965 | Short Stop | Ralph N. Baldwin | Ned Bower | P. Huber Hanes Jr., John W. Hanes, & John Haskell | 2:01 | — | ||
| 1966 | Speedy Play | Stanley Dancer | — | Rose Hill Breeding Farm | — | — | ||
| 1967 | Garma Alert | Allan Walker | — | Gary Grisenthwaite | — | — | ||
| 1968 | Eric B. | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Ernest B. Morris | 2:03.1 | — | ||
| 1969 | Noccalula | Sanders Russell | — | John Jackson | 2:04 2/5 | — | ||
| 1970 | Hoot Speed | Glen Garnsey | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971 | Super Bowl | Stanley Dancer | — | Stanley Dancer & Rose Hild Farm | 1:59 4/5 | — | ||
| 1972 | Travelogue | Terry Holton | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | My Super Pride | Del Cameron | — | — | 2:07 3/5 | — | ||
| 1974 | Bonefish | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Mac Cuddy | — | — | ||
| 1975 | Tropical Storm | Ralph N. Baldwin | — | — | 2:04.1 | — | ||
| 1976 | Profit Sharing | Stanley Dancer | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | Dark Eagle | Dick Richardson Jr. | — | Dunny Stable | 2:00.1 | — | ||
| 1978 | Legend Hanover | Joe O'Brien | — | — | 1:59 3/5 | — | ||
| 1979 | Rodney's Best | Hakan Wallner | — | Woodstock Stud | 2:00 | — | ||
| 1980 | Homesick | Billy Herman | — | — | 2:01 1.5 | — | ||
| 1981 | Sugar Move | Farrington | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | T.V. Yankee | Tommy Haughton | — | — | 1:56 | World record | ||
| 1983 | Gentle Stroke | George Sholty | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | Affable Crown | — | — | Em-Ar-El Stable | — | — | ||
| 1985 | Anniecrombie | Glen Garnsey | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987 | Grundys Cohnection | Jan Nordin | Joseph Kroll | Clifford Grundy, Seymour Grundy & Sidney Cohn | — | — | ||
| 1988 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989 | I'm Impeccable | Dave Rankin | Dave Rankin | Dave Rankin | — | — | ||
| 1990 | Grundy's Mint | Jan Nordin | — | — | 1:57 1/5 | — | ||
| 1991 | Royal Strength | R. Oldfield | — | — | 1:58 | — | ||
| 1992 | Dash Drive | Ron Waples | Doug Miller | Doug Miller, Dale Kistler, Doug Kistler, & Margaret Kistler | — | — | ||
| 1993 | Incredible Abe | John Campbell | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | King Pine | Michel Lachance | — | — | 2:00 1/5 | — | ||
| 1995 | Kramer Boy | John Campbell | — | AB Dica Vinn & Alan Ritchie | 1:57 2/5 | — | ||
| 1996 | Meadowbranch Lucky | — | — | Hans Enggren | — | — | ||
| 1997 | Buzzin Brian | — | — | — | 1:57 4/5 | — | ||
| 1998 | CR Commando | — | — | — | 1:56.1 | — | ||
| 1999 | Fast Photo | — | — | — | 1:58 | — | ||
| 2000 | Chasing Tail | John Campbell | — | — | 1:57 1/5 | — | ||
| 2001 | Charlie Kronos | Chris Christoforou | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002 | Broadway Hall | John Campbell | — | — | 1:59 | — | ||
| 2003 | Cantab Hall | Michel Lachance | — | — | — | Tom Ridge disqualified | ||
| 2004 | Ken Warkentin | David Miller | — | Christina Takter, John Fielding, Tie Domi, and Windsor Stable | 1:55 3/5 | — | ||
| 2005 | Make You Mine | Michel Lachance | Ron Gurfein | — | 1:57 2/5 | — | ||
References
- ^ a b c "The Walnut Hall Cup". Lexington Herald-Leader. April 4, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ Turf, Field, and Farm - Volume 65. Turf, field and farm assoc. 1897. p. 56. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Good Card At Lexington". Evening World-Herald. October 13, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "The Walnut Hall Cup". The Lexington Herald. October 13, 1911. p. 11. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ Leonard, Andrew G. (September 29, 1918). "Walnut Hall Cup". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 8. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Walnut Hall Cup's History". The Boston Globe. September 28, 1936. p. 9. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Helen Dillon Wins 2-Yr.-Old Futurity". Lexington Herald-Leader. October 5, 1921. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ Dickerson, C. G. (January 12, 1958). "Drum Of Hoofbeat, Hum Of Sulky Attract 'Typed' Individual". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 117. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Fab Freshmen Friday At The Red Mile". standardbredcanada.ca. September 24, 2013. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Trotting Gossip". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 6, 1918. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ Wrensch, Frank Albert (1951). Harness Horse Racing in the United States and Canada. Van Nostrand. p. 200. Retrieved 2026-04-04.