Timothy T - 1970
Timothy T: Father-Son Combos Prove Too Tough The year could have been devoted to the two father-son teams which combined for a Hambletonian in world record time. First Ayres, winner of the 1964 Hambletonian was the sire of one of the favorites, a colt trained by John Simpson, Sr., named Timothy T. The colt was scheduled to be driven by Simpson’s son, John, Jr., and there was little doubt he would win this classic race after his first heat win in 2:001 over Flower Child and Victory Star. But, in the second heat, young Simpson moved too early with his charge and Formal Notice, trained and carefully driven by Jimmy Arthur, got home on top in 1:582 , fastest trotting mile of 1970. Both young Simpson and Timothy T. got their act together again in the final heat, drawing clear from Formal Notice in 2:003 to gain the Hambletonian silver. At 27, John Simpson, Jr. became the youngest driver at the time to win the Hambletonian. Flower Child, who wound up third over all in the summary, became a top notch free-for-all trotter as a four and five-year-old and trotted the fastest mile ever in Europe at 1:584 in Sweden as a five-year-old. The training of Timothy T. was a swan song for John Simpson, Sr., one of the finest and most accomplished colt trainers ever. Simpson hung up his training goggles shortly after that and assumed command of the vast Hanover Shoe Farms breeding operation, the largest stan-dardbred nursery in the world. Timothy T. went on to a successful career in Europe, being a champion on two continents.
The Simpsons wer the first father and son driver pair to win the classic. Despite the impediment of diminishing vision, which originated from a driving accident, Simpson Sr. brought the difficult colt to the peak of his ability perfectly. The youngest driver (27) to win the Hambletonian to that point, it was John Jr.'s first drive in the Hambletonian - a race his father won twice 91957 and 1964). Timothy T. was voted the 3-year-old Trotting Colt of the Year. Exported to Italy, by 1975 Timothy T. had won his second straight Elitlopp, making him arguably the best trotter in the world.
