ASHLAND — Early on, harness racing became a popular activity in recreational circles. Nearly everyone owned horses so racing them as a fun neighborhood activity was bound to happen.
After all, who doesn’t like a little friendly competition?
Races were originally held on village streets and country roads among neighbors but as early as 1825, race tracks started growing in popularity. By the mid-20th century, harness racing was the fastest growing sport in the United States with most county fairs having a race track.
The breed of horse used for this type is racing the Standardbred. It was bred in the United States in the 19th century and primarily used for harness racing. The horse, Messenger, an English Thoroughbred, was imported to the United States in 1788. His descendants were bred with other horses such as the Morgan Horse to produce trotters and pacers that were very fast. Messenger’s great-grandson, Hambletonian (1849-1876) was an outstanding Standardbred sire and it’s his descendants that now dominate this breed.
In Ashland, harness racing was first held on the track located at the old fairgrounds along Sandusky Street but the barn burned down. In 1924, the annual Ashland County Fair started in the new location at the corner of Claremont Avenue and Baney Road.
The original race track was built right at the corner of the intersection which is now a parking area.
Ashland had its own famous harness racing horse in the 1930’s. Peter At Law was born in 1927. At the age of 4, he was purchased by local businessmen David Reed and Clifton Gongwer. They noticed the horse when he ran a 2:06 mile at the fairgrounds in Darke County, Ohio.
Peter At Law raced the Grand Circuit which was the “big leagues” of harness racing.
The Grand Circuit was originally known as the Quadrilateral Trotting Combination and established in 1871 by a Cleveland businessman. In 1879, the standard for a horse racing at this level was to run a mile in 2:30 or less.
As a pacer, Peter At Law won 51 races and finished second 29 times in his nine-year racing career. He never finished out of the money and interestingly enough, he never raced here in Ashland during that time but was stabled here and had a huge fan base in this area. His career peaked at age 10 when he first ran a 1:59¾ in Indianapolis.
Peter At Law sired three foals at the age of six, but not anymore until he was a 10-year-old. Peter at Law was officially retired by 1939 but made a few special appearances when he was past his prime.
The current race track at the Ashland County Fairgrounds was dedicated on Sept. 19, 1939. The high point of the track opening was an exhibition race which featured Peter At Law racing against his son, Peter At Last.
Operating the sulky (informally called a bike that the driver sits in) for Peter At Law was his caretaker Charley Adams and the son was piloted by Jess Brinkerhoff. Out of respect for the elder Peter, the race was started slowly but they went at it hard the last quarter mile and finished in a dead heat. Drivers of harness racers carry a light whip and use it to make a tapping noise on the shaft of the sulky in order to coax horses to go faster.
Peter At Law was one of only two horses in his era with records better than two minutes that also ever won more than 50 races. He won 51 times and placed second 29 times in nine consecutive years. He was never out of the money. He reached his peak as a 10-year-old. As a 3-year-old he ran a 2:09. As a 10-year-old, he ran his fastest race with a 1:59¾.
It is unknown exactly when Peter At Law died but he is buried at the fairgrounds in the area of the current race track.
