We are going to jump to June 22, 1973. Which is my Mothers birthday. It was the Wolfe Racing Stable first journey in the U.S.A., and not the last. We were at Rockingham Park located in Salem, New Hampshire. My father shipped us and the horses there. Because he was declined his stall request for the summer Woodbine meet, and was vanquished to be stabled at Greenwood. He was so disappointed that he never received stalls at the meet. After all Hopenscope was now a stakes placed 3 year old, and very promising. That he decided to leave. Our first venture in the U.S. was good. However it is very hot in the U.S. in the summer. Much warmer then average Toronto temperature, at that time. We were very well treated by the Americans. This would be a constant for all of our U.S. visits. This race would be our first U.S. win. It was a 3 year old allowance race. The purse was only $4,000. I guess that was average money for an allowance purse, from that time. Hopenscope was training well there. The race track at Rockingham was a good one. The "Bull" hooked a tough competitor in a horse named "Fun to Dance". There connections were quite confident that they blow the Canadian invader off the race track. The best laid plans at the track don't always, go to plan. Fun to Dance was being ridden by wily veteran rider Tommy Barrow. Our jockey was also an excellent veteran rider. His name Tommy Sisum. Both jockeys were very knowledgeable how to steer there mounts into the winners circle. There Off! This race was like a match race from the start. Fun to Dance made the lead. But Hopenscope and his evil temper was right off him. Keeping the pressure on him. Now the pair were reaching the top of the stretch. Time to put up, or shut up. T. Sisum asked the Bull for his big finish. No luck, he could not get pass Fun to Dance. Now the pair had reached the 1/8 pole and the Bull was still a neck behind Fun to Dance and he was running out of ground. Tommy Sisum and Hopenscope weren't beat yet. In the final strides and right before the finish line. The pair made one last attack on Fun to Dance. Finally Fun to Dance could take no more abuse from the Bull. He was beat, and our Hopenscope was the winner of this viscous street fight. Wow, what a classic race! The Wolfe family was thrilled! We looked at the timer that clocked off the race. It read; 1:09 3/5! Wow! What a fast time for 6 furlongs. Any time better then 1:11 is very good time for Thoroughbreds to run six furlongs. Any time they can break 1:10, it is extraordinary. This win was a great accomplishment, and an excellent birthday present to my Mother, Charlotte. It proved to be the second fastest 6 furlong time to be run at the meet. However there was a price. Hopenscope came out of this great race exhausted. When he ran back in the stakes race. Where he finished 4th. He came out of that race when a slight knee injury. He required a short lay off, and was prepared for the Woodbine fall meet.
Now to my all time favorite Hopenscope win. It took place back at Woodbine on October 8th, 1973. The Bull's career to this point had all been sprint races. Trying to take advantage of his natural speed. Now my Dad was going in a different direction with Hopenscope. He was entered in a mile allowance race on the inner grass course. The field was originally 5 horses. But had been reduced to 4, because of 1 late scratch. Enter Gary Melanson. Gary was an up and coming apprentice rider at Woodbine. He was originally from Moncton, New Brunswick. And was the contract apprentice rider for Conn Smythe. Gary Melanson was a great finesse rider. He had excellent communication skills with the horses he would ride. Also he had a pair of very soft hands on a horse. Meaning he had the ability to get horses to relax during the running of a race. If the horses won't relax and learn how to rate. They won't make very successful race horses. Gary Melanson style of riding suited horses that enjoyed running off the pace. Gary had been on Hopenscope in two previous races. He finished 3rd with the Bull in Stakes race at Ft. Erie during the spring meet. Also he finished 5th in a 7 furlong allowance race against older horses and only got beaten 4 lengths. That race took place on September 16th, and was a very good race for him. Gary Melanson suited Hopenscope like a glove on a hand. There's more good race track lingo. Gary loved Hopenscope and believed in this horse’s ability and was always very excited to have the chance to ride our Bull. I'm sure if you asked Gary Melanson today who his favorite two horses that he ever rode were. He would answer; Connie Pat, and Hopenscope. Now back to the race. A four horse field can be tricky to ride. My Dad's instruction in the paddock was; get Hopenscope to relax and save him for one big run, from the 3/8 pole. Gary and the Bull were both ready. There Off! The Bull broke right to the lead. Now Gary Melanson started right away to execute the strategy. He began to get Hopenscope to relax and get off the bit, and save him for serious business later on in this race. The communication between these two was excellent. Hopenscope was listening to Gary and fell back to second, and then to 3rd place. By the time this talented and small field reached the 3/8 pole. Hopenscope had dropped back to last place. He was about 8 lengths from the leader Lady Shooter. Now everyone in the crowd that day. Were probably sure that there prediction was right. That Hopenscope couldn't get the mile distance, and would finish 4th in last place. Everyone accept Gary and the Bull. Now here is some more good race track lingo. Gary Melanson was ready now to draw his gun from his holster, and pull the trigger. It was time to make that electrifying Hopenscope charge. Ounce the Bull made his move. It was clear that he would win this race. The rail was wide open, and Gary took full advantage of that. The 8 lengths disadvantage disappeared by the time they reached the 1/8 pole. Now it was just a matter how far the Bull was going to win by. Final margin of victory was 1 1/2 lengths going away. He paid off at 8 to 1, to his loyal backers, in a 4 horse field. Hopenscope proved to be a better racehorse on the grass. He proved in this race that distance was no problem for this versatile athlete. Hall of fame Trainer Lou Cavalaris said; "that Hopenscope was like having 5 good horses in your barn". "Because he would run on any surface, and any distance". That was a great complement. From an outstanding trainer.
The next Hopenscope win I will profile. Is his stakes win in the 1973 Fairbanks stakes race run at Greenwood. It sadly would be his only stakes win, and would be the biggest win of his career. After returning back from the summer campaign at Rockingham Park. Hopenscope had matured and come into his own. He proved beyond the shadow of any doubters. That he was a quality racehorse, and extremely versatile. The Bull was to be respected. His best performance in any given race could see him victorious. Defeating very difficult competition was always within his ability. In the prep race for the Fairbanks. My dad entered the Bull in a 7 furlong allowance race at Greenwood. The race ran with a 7 horse field. It was a strangely run race, because only 5 horses ended up finishing. Hopenscope finished second beaten ½ length by Hatchet Tiger. My Dad was very disappointed that Hopenscope did not win this race. He felt that the more experienced Doug Thomas who rode Hatchet Tiger. Had out finished Gary Melanson, on the Bull. Resulting in the second place finish. Hopenscope came out of the race in fine shape. So my father made the decision to run the Bull in the Fairbanks. It was a 1 mile and ¼ stakes event for 3 year olds. My father obtained the services of rider Bill McMahon. Bill had established himself on the Toronto circuit, after moving over from his native England, and was doing very well at the Greenwood meet. Entered in this race was the dynamic duo from the Jack Stafford stable. Royal Chocolate who had easily one the Queens Plate, and also Tara Road who was the Price of Wales winner. It was not going to be an easy race. The track conditions had come up muddy. Hopenscope had won in the mud. But could the Bull be effective at the 1 mile & ¼ distance, against this company. My father went right back to the original instructions. That worked well in winning the mile turf race. He told Bill McMahon, “let Hopenscope settle in to stride”, and save him for his big run from the 3/8’s pole, home. “There at the post, there off”. Was the opening call from Daryl Wells. The Bull broke very well from the gate. He was very well placed by Bill McMahon. He relaxed him beautifully in 3rd place. You could see that Bill had a ton of horse, when the field of 7 reached the 3/8the pole. Bill was now ready to ask Hopenscope for that huge run of his. When he asked. The Bull answered. Before you had the time to shout his name. Hopenscope had burst into the lead and had opened up a commanding 4 length advantage. Tara Road and Royal Chocolate were in hot pursuit. However there were now only competing for second and third money. This race was over! Our Hopenscope the pride of the Wolfe family had won the Fairbanks stakes! Giving my father and this brave and talented horse there first stake win! Hopenscope rewarded his loyal backers this day by paying $31. The winning exactor price was $84. Of note, we do have a rare 8mm film patrol movie of this race. When I learn how to do it. I will upload it, so it can be watched and enjoyed!
For the final Hopenscope win I will profile. We go back to the Ft. Erie racetrack. The date is April 16, 1975. The Bull is has now reached the age of maturity and is a fledged horse. He is coming off his four year old season where he failed to win a race. My father had taken Hopenscope to Santa Anita for the winter meet. It was a very ambitious move. Certainly Hopescope proved that he belonged at this prestigious race meet in California. The Bull did give an excellent account of himself. As he ran two terrific races during the 1974 Santa Anita meet. He finished 4th in an overnight handicap, only getting beat 1 length for the win, going a flat mile on the dirt. His jockey C.H. Marquez was forced to check the Bull turning for home. Or he would have had a California win on his record. He was 60 to one in that race. The other great race would see him again finish 4th in a 1 ¼ stakes race on the grass. The Bull only got beat 2 1/4 lenghts in that race. Also Hopenscope suffered an ankle injury during the meet. This did, with regret, created a setback in Hopenscope’s career. He spent most of 1974 recovering from injury. When he did get back to the races. He could not get back into the winner circle. Now the Bull is back training for his 1975 debut. Things are looking good. Hopenscope is back to his nasty and aggressive self. His injuries have heeled and he is traveling sound. His workouts are very good in preparation for his first 1975 race. The Bulls 1975 debut is an open allowance race going six furlongs. It is a very talented field. Which includes; Don’t Ask Me That, who was a top sprinter from the Sam Son Farm, and trained by Art Warner. He was wintered raced in Maryland and was enjoying good form. Also Dawes Road was entered. Dawes Road was a top local sprinter with a ton of speed. He had run impressively at the Greenwood spring meet. Hopenscope was totally disregarded by the betting public on this day. They were very worried that he had lost his Mojo. Because of his winless record from the 1974 campaign. Also he was meeting a salty group of sprinters who all had very good races already under there belts. However the public had forgotten that the Bull always ran very well when he was fresh. He seemed to always give his maximum performance. When making his first start of the year. Also they had forgotten. When the Bull ran his best race. He was liable to beat any horse. Gary Melanson was reunited with his favorite mount for this race. The odds on the tote board read 34 to one for our Hopenscope. The strategy remained the same. My Dad told Gary. "Let the Bull settle in to stride. Relax him for 3 furlongs. Then ask him for his big run, for the last 3 furlongs". “There at the post, there off!” This talented field was on there way. Dawes Road made the lead. The pace was hot. Our Hopenscope broke well. Gary as instructed, allowed him to relax. Lay off the lighting fast pace. Waiting for the 3/8’s pole. To ask the Bull the question. Did he still have it? To compete at this top level. When the leader Dawes Road reached the 3/8 pole. Hopenscope was laying about 7 lengths from him. However that was about to change. Gary Melanson had again pulled the trigger on Hopenscope. The results were excellent! The Bull’s lighting move was still there. He was now a serious contender in this race. When the field reached the 1/8 pole. Don’t Ask Me That, had made the lead. However there was a very mad Bull closing up to his outside. Don’t Ask Me That could not hold off Hopenscope. The Bull roared on to a ¾ of a length victory going away! The winning time for 6 furlongs was 1:10 3/5. Our Hopenscope was back! It was a very emotional win for the Wolfe family on this day and for the loyal supporters. That did not loose there faith in our star. Hopenscope paid $68 for a two dollar win ticket.
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