Saratoga Hall of Fame induction announced

The Saratoga Harness Racing Hall of Fame & Museum announces it's Annual Induction Ceremony/Open House, Tuesday June 13, 2017 at the Museum – 352 Jefferson St, Saratoga Springs, NY.

 

The gates will open for the event at 5:30 pm, with the ceremony starting at 6:30 pm. Refreshments and light food will be served.

 

The museum is located off the Jefferson St. Entrance to Saratoga Casino Hotel.

 

 

Mattison's career at Saratoga spans 39 years with several standout horses and honors along the way. See attached for more details

 

River Of Glory, currently owned by Hall of Fame trainer Dave Spagnola & Our Blue Streaks Stable was the 2003 Trotter of the Year. See attached for more information

 

In addition we will be presenting the seventh annual Virginia O'Brien Memorial 110% Award. This award honors individuals who devote their life to the pursuit of the sport of harness racing, such as a groom or backstretch worker, who might not otherwise be in the limelight. The nominees are chosen by their peers from the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association. This year Dave Truitt & Eric Cachaza will be the honorees

 

For more information contact Director, Dave Oxford at 518-728-7860 or email: doxford@nycap.rr.com

 

Jim Mattison

Jim Mattison jogged his first horse for his uncle at age 13, he got the racing bug and never looked back. He considers that uncle, Clyde Mattison, a mentor-who instilled loyalty, honesty, and a winning work ethic that has guided him throughout his career. Soon after, Jim’s dad bought him a horse for $200…Lebanon Boy, a 14 YO pacer who was older than Jimmy himself at the time. Jim raced him at Hinsdale, earning mentions in The Bennington Banner, and around $1,100 in purses that summer and fall. He worked the circuit of Hinsdale, Green Mountain & Rockingham over the next 5 years with Clyde, and after a brief stint in the Army was back into racing full time in 1971.

Jim made the decision to move to Saratoga in 1978, although finding it tough to get started, he hit his stride and was honored with the Peerless McGrath Award for up and coming trainer in 1980. He liked to have a dozen or so going, and enlisted the help of his brother Gerry who worked with him from 1978-1985, before striking out on his own. Jim was consistently in the top ten of the trainer-driver standings for much of the 1980’s with standout horses like Too Much Sugar (1985 Trotter of the Year); Princeton Collins (claiming pacer of the year); Power Swipe,  Jersey Gambler, Electro Jet, and Patented Design to name just a few. Other milestones during that time were his 1,000^th win in 1983 and 1,500^th in 1988.

A fellow trainer describes Jim as “a quiet force” you don’t hear much about him but he does a lot of damage (collecting purses).

Jim credits his wife Vicki, whom he married in 1985, with keeping their horses in top condition-“she does all the leg work”. These days they split their time between Saratoga and Pompano and have 2 children Amy & Jodi.

One person who has enjoyed Jim’s success with him over the years is Emile Johnson, Jr. The pair has been together as owner and trainer for 45 years. Their first horse was Mar Con Cadet, a New Hampshire Sire Stakes champion;  and lately they have been enjoying great success with Panocchio who was horse of the year at Saratoga in 2014 and pacer of the year 2014 & 2015.

Jim’s career currently spans 6 decades and his lifetime training stats are 3,493 starts for a record of 572-526-416 with purse earnings of $3,040,040, his driver stats are 1,728 starts with $2,919,403 in purses.        

River Of Glory

River Of Glory was foaled in 1997, in Ontario, Canada. A bay trotting mare by King Conch out of O’Glory, she was the third of four foals of her dam, and her talent far exceeded that of her siblings.

She didn’t make her first start until 3, and raced around Canada and the U.S. mostly at larger tracks with a limited number of starts per year.

A change in connections landed her at Saratoga in 2003, where she regularly appeared in the winner’s circle, racing in the upper divisions. At season’s end she had tallied a record of 8-6-6 for 35 starts, $41,407 in earnings, and a lifetime mark of 1:58 (H).  River Of Glory was honored for her efforts being awarded Aged Trotter of the Year and Trotter of the Year in 2003 at Saratoga.

River Of Glory dominated the upper trotting classes at Saratoga over the next four years with a total of 108 starts for a record of 23-20-8 amassing over $175,000 in earnings.

2008 brought another change of connections and while she had lost a step or 2 along the way, River Of Glory was still a dominant force on the Spa Oval. She still holds the track record times for trotting mares as an 11YO (2008); 12YO (2009); 13YO (2010) and 14YO (2011).

Upon her retirement in 2011, connections Dave Spagnola & Our Blue Streaks Stable sent her to the breeding shed where she currently has 4 registered foals, all mares.  Significantly, RiverofRoyalty foaled in 2013, continues her Mother’s winning ways and was named 3YO trotter of the year in 2016 at Saratoga.

River Of Glory finished her career with 313 starts for a record of 66-55-33 and earnings of $478, 475 and a lifetime mark of 1:55.2 (M)