Flea Market Finds: Greenwood Racetrack, Frank Merrill Jr And The Great Cam Fella

Every so often, the lovely Amy will take me on one of her antiquing adventures. This past weekend we checked out the Aberfoyle Antique Market and I dug up a slew of vintage horse racing memorabilia.

My first find was a November 30, 1963 win photo from what I believe is Greenwood Racetrack. The winning horse is Wings of Flight who covered six furlongs in 1:12 with Paul Bohenko in the irons. Bohenko is one of the lucky few to have steered Northern Dancer. What drew me to the photo was winning trainer F.H Merrill Jr. The Hall of Fame trainer is renowned for conditioning the aquatic equine Puss N' Boots who famously jumped the rail at Fort Erie en route to victory and went for a swim in the infield lake.

Frank Merrill in the winners circle at Greenwood


My next find also links to Greenwood Racetrack. Sitting amongst a bevy of odds and ends on a vendor's table was a commemorative glass honouring Cam Fella's last mile. The "Pacing Machine" is the harness racing equivalent of Northern Dancer. Cam Fella was a champion on the track having won 30 of 36 starts at the age of four and went on to a brilliant career at stud. Having just arrived in Canada from Northern Ireland, Cam Fella's last mile was one of the first races I remember watching live. My Dad even convinced my step-Mom, a non-racing fan, to come along and see the brilliant pacer on a typically chilly December evening. Cam Fella won 61 of his 80 career starts and his legend lives strong.

Cam Fella paced his last mile at Greenwood


I bargained down to $1.25 for this priceless Queen's Plate book by Lou Cauz. This brilliant pictorial covers the history of the Queen's Plate including race recap and full charted results. I read the book cover-to-cover on many occasions growing up and learned plenty about the history of the Canadian game. This edition is the same one I read as a kid which ends with the 1984 running of the Queen's Plate won by Key To The Moon. It is the first Plate I remember seeing run live and also the first ticket I ever cashed at Woodbine.

The Plate: A Royal Tradition is necessary reading


When Key To The Moon crossed the wire first with jockey Robin Platts in the irons, I was one of the screaming patrons in the crowd pressed against the rail at the finish line. I've put a magnifying glass over the photo below many times trying to find the splotch of brown hair that must be mine.

Somewhere along the rail is a young Triple Dead Heat proudly clutching a $2 win ticket


My final find on Saturday was the 1975 Christmas Edition of Hoof Beats Magazine. This colourful review touched on some of the news, entertainment and characters of the harness game as it was back in the mid-70s. It's always interesting to see the stallion ads from earlier eras and reflect on what influence they stamped on the game. As well, it's generally always good for a laugh to look back on a time when plaid sport jackets and sideburns meant high fashion. Check out some of the highlights below.

Hoof Beats Xmas 1975


This is how Blue Chip Farms said Merry Christmas back in the day


Professor W.J. Tyznik gave readers the lowdown on feeding horses


Tucked neatly in the pages was an OCTOBER Hoof Beats story by Julia Pines discussing Nancy Hanks



If you wanted to meet Miss America back in 1976, you would go to the racetrack


Walter Russell shows you how to dress if you're going to meet Miss America


The OJC invites you to enjoy harness racing action at the Golden Horseshoe tracks of Greenwood, Mohawk and Garden City!


All in all, not a bad score for a Saturday morning walk.

If you're a fan of Hoof Beats and would like this vintage 1975 Christmas issue, please email me your mailing address and I'll pop it in the post free of charge.

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One final note: Congratulations to apprentice jockey Caroline Duquet who captured her first win in the last race of Wednesday night's card. Duquet expertly steered Mike Doyle's Honour Fulfilled to a rallying off the pace win at odds of 12-1.

Caroline Duquet getting a few pointers in the paddock earlier this summer