Speed Bowl - 1982
Speed Bowl: Another Haughton Wins Speed Bowl won the 57th Hambletonian, enabling Tommy Haughton at age 25, to become the youngest driver in history to win this classic. In the first division, Arndon was the 6 to 5 favorite and he led through fractions of :291, :574, and 1:272. At the top of the stretch, he made a break and finished far back. Winning the heat was Jazz Cosmos, who was away sixth from second tier post 11. He gradually improved his position throughout the mile, then blew by the competition to win by almost four lengths in 1:57.3. In the next division, the huge Meadowlands crowd made Mystic Park the 3-10 favorite. Speed Bowl was decond choice at 7-2. The 85-1 favorite shot Kingfish took the field to the :28.1 quarter, but Mystic Park soon took over and carved fractions of :57 and 1:27.1. Then, without warning, he made a break, ruining his chances. Throughout the race, Speed Bowl was tenth at the quarter and still next to last at the half. He was eight and charging with a quarter of a mile remaining and then used an unbelievable burst of speed to sweep by the field and win by almost six lenghts in 1:56.4. The 71-1 outsider, Roz T. Collins, finished second and the 109-1 longshot, Rosalinds Guy, finished third. In the ten-horse final, Speed Bowl and Jazz Cosmos had earned inside posts as a result of victories in their respective heats and that's the way they finished. After jazz Cosmos cut honest fractions of :28.3, :57.3, and 1:27.4. Speed Bowl began to draw on the leader and he pushed his neck in front in the final few strides to record the win in 1:57.
PONY is the acronym for the home states of the owners: Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. The Haughtons were the second father and son trainer and driver duo to win the Hambletonian. It was son Tommy's third drive in the Hambletonian - his father Bill drove the winner four times (1974, 1976, 1977 and 1980). Bill Haughton trained his fifth Hambletonian winner, equaling the record of Ben White. Hanover Shoe Farms bred its record tenth Hambletonian winner.
