The Transylvania Trot was a prominent harness racing stakes event for standardbred trotters, first contested in 1889 at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.

History The Transylvania was established in 1889. It was operated under the auspices of the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders' Association and hosted at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. Racing secretary Edward A. Tipton developed the Transylvania as a race for older trotters with notable records, with the event taking its name from his former school, Transylvania College.

The first Transylvania winner was Jack, a grey gelding by Pilot Medium, driven by Budd Doble, a leading harness driver of the era. The inaugural race was won with the fastest heat timed at 2:15. Doble recorded back-to-back wins of the Transylvania Trot after driving McDoel to victory in 1890.

Transylvania candidates originally qualified based on their established time marks. Introduced as a 2:20 trot in 1889, the Transylvania dropped to 2:10 by 1902 and held that level through 1913. It then moved to 2:08 from 1913 to 1917, to 2:05 or faster until 1929, and was run as a free-for-all trot in the 1940s. The race became the premier aged stake in the United States.

During its early history, the Transylvania stake for trotters was the main attraction of the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders' Association's annual Grand Circuit meeting. A few years after the Transylvania was established in 1889, the Kentucky Futurity, one of harness racing's most coveted stakes events, was inaugurated in 1893. The Transylvania became the traditional prep race before the Kentucky Futurity. Horses targeting the Futurity title often raced in the Transylvania. By 1947, only four horses had won both the Transylvania and the Kentucky Futurity, including Victory Song, Boralma, Rose Scott, and Rosalind.

The Transylvania became one of the oldest continuously contested stakes. 1989 marked the 100th anniversary of the event.

Locations 1889–present: The Red Mile, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.

Records Most wins by a horse 4 – Pronto Don (1949, 1950, 1953, 1954) Most wins by a driver 5 – Thomas W. Murphy (1911, 1915, 1923, 1924, 1925)

Transylvania winners Year Winner Driver Trainer Owner Time Notes 1889 Jack Budd Doble — — 2:15 $5,000 1890 McDoel Budd Doble — W. H. McDoel 2:15 1/2 $5,000 1891 Cheyenne John H. Dickerson — — 2:15 3/4 $5,000 1892 Kremlin Ed Bither — William Russel Allen 2:11 1/2 Stakes record; $5,000 1893 Harietta Crit Davis — Parker Corning 2:09 3/4 $5,000 1894 Azote Andrew McDowell — Monroe Salisbury 2:08 3/4 $5,000 1895 Bouncer William J. Andrews — William Simpson 2:10 1/4 $5,000 1896 Senator A. C. E. Alexander — Young & Butler 2:10 $5,000 1897 Rilma W. O. Foote W. O. Foote W. O. Foote 2:08 1/4 $5,000 1898 John Nolan W. O. Foote — N. W. Hubinger 2:07 3/4 Stakes record; $5,000 1899 Lord Vincent Charles Doble — George Tod 2:08 1/2 $10,000 1900 Boralma J. Y. Gatcomb — Thomas W. Lawson 2:08 $5,000 1901 Onward Silver Edward Geers — J. L. Druien 2:09 3/4 $6,000 1902 Ozanam Ed Benyon — Lamon V. Harkness (Walnut Hall Farm) 2:07 1/2 Stakes record; $6,000 1903 Caspian Bert Shank — J. A. Andrews 2:09 1/2 $6,000 1904 Sweet Marie Alta P. McDonald — W. G. Garland 2:04 1/2 $5,000 1905 Ethel's Pride William J. Andrews — Dr. J. C. McCoy 2:06 3/4 — 1906 Nutboy M. E. McHenry — Lotta Crabtree 2:07 1/4 — 1907 Sonoma Girl M. E. McHenry — Lotta Crabtree 2:05 1/4 — 1908 Spanish Queen Gus Macey — George Estabrook 2:09 1/4 $5,000 1909 Penisa Maid M. D. Shutt M. D. Shutt M. D. Shutt 2:04 1/4 Stakes record 1910 Joan Mike McDevitt — Capt. David Shaw 2:05 3/5 $5,025 1911 Charlie Mitchell Thomas W. Murphy — — 2:07 1/4 $5,025 1912 Baden A. S. Rodney — Louis Neidhardt 2:06 3/4 — 1913 Cheeney John P. Fleming — John Mulkey 2:04 3/4 — 1914 Etawah Edward Geers — F. G. Jones 2:03 1/2 Stakes record 1915 Peter Scott Thomas W. Murphy — Henry Oliver 2:05 1/4 — 1916 Mabel Trask Walter R. Cox Walter R. Cox Barton Pardee 2:03 1/4 — 1917 Ima Jay Harvey D. Ernest Harvey D. Ernest Harvey D. Ernest 2:04 1/4 — 1918 Binland Frank Hedrick — W. L. Snyder 2:03 3/4 — 1919 Prince Loree H. McDevitt — Capt. David Shaw 2:03 1/4 — 1920 Peter Manning Harry Stokes — Irving Gleason 2:02 1/4 — 1921 Greyworthy Walter R. Cox — Sanford Small 2:03 — 1922 Peter the Brewer Nat Ray — Ed Stout 2:02 1/2 — 1923 Rose Scott Thomas W. Murphy — Henry Oliver 2:04 1/4 — 1924 Tilly Brooke Thomas W. Murphy — John G. Elbs 2:01 1/4 — 1925 Etta Druien Thomas W. Murphy — W. H. Hanan 2:02 1/2 — 1926 Guy Trogan William K. Dickerson — E. Roland Harriman 2:04 1/4 — 1927 Kahla Dillon Thomas S. Berry — Col. Jacob Lang 2:02 1/2 — 1928 Doane C. Becker — L. S. Hadley 2:04 — 1929 Guy Ozark William K. Dickerson William K. Dickerson E. Roland Harriman 2:02 1/2 — 1930 Hollyrood Chief Will H. Leese Will H. Leese Frank E. Piper 2:05 — 1931 Worthywood W. N. McMillen — — 2:04 1/4 —1932 No races 1933 Vansandt Earl Pitman — Irvin W. Gleason 2:05 — 1933 Calumet Bush Henry Thomas — W. H. Davis 2:06 3/4 — 1934 Prince Hall Henry Thomas — Thomas Ashworth 2:00 1/4 — 1935 Taffy Volo Ben White — R. J. Reynolds 2:01 1/4 — 1936 Greyhound Sep Palin — Edward J. Baker 2:00 — 1937 Rosalind Ben White — Gib White 1:59 1/4 — 1938 Boyne Dunbar W. Bostwick — Dunbar W. Bostwick 2:00 3/4 — 1939 Spantell Hugh M. Parshall — — 2:00 3/4 — 1940 Sister Mary Sep Palin — Edward J. Baker 2:01 1/2 — 1941 Earl's Moody Guy Vic Fleming — Walter J. Michael 2:01 3/4 — 1942 Nibble Hanover Harry Whitney — Dunbar W. Bostwick 2:02 1/4 — 1943 His Excellency Thomas S. Berry — W. F. Strang 2:01 1/4 — 1944 Blue Boy Henry Thomas — Saunders Mills Stable 2:03 — 1945 Darnley Harry Whitney — Aaron Williams 2:03 1/4 — 1946 The Colonel's Lady Bion Shively — R. Horace Johnston 1:59 1/2 — 1947 Victory Song Sep Palin — Castleton Farm 2:02 1/5 — 1948 Rodney Bion Shively — R. Horace Johnston 2:01 — 1949 Pronto Don T. Wayne Smart — Hayes Fair Acres Stables 2:01 3/5 — 1950 Pronto Don Del Miller — Hayes Fair Acres Stables 2:00 — 1951 Pronto Don Benny Schue — Hayes Fair Acres Stables 2:01 2/5 — 1952 Yankee Hanover Frank Ervin — Mrs. John L. Wehle — — 1953 Pronto Don Benny Schue — Hayes Fair Acres Stables — — 1954 Pronto Don Benny Schue — Hayes Fair Acres Stables — — 1955 Kimberly Kid Ned Bower — Allwood Stable 2:00 — 1956 Scott Frost Joe O'Brien Joe O'Brien Saul Camp — — 1957 Galophone Robert "Bob" Walker — William T. Maybury 2:00 4/5 — 1958 Egyptian Princess Earle Avery — Clearview Stable — — 1959 Senator Frost Ralph Buxton — Ray V. Foster & W. W. Galin— — — 1960 Sharpshooter Harry Pownall — Arden Homestead Stable — — 1961 Senator Frost Ralph Buxton Eddie Wheeler Ray V. Foster & Wayne W. Galin 2:00 3/5 — 1962 Uncle Sam L. Huber Jr. — K. D. Owen 2:02 2/5 — 1963 Pack Hanover Jimmy Hackett — Samuel Hutenbauer 2:02.1 — 1964 Lucy's Victory Jimmy Hackett — Samuel Hutenbauer — — 1965 Governor Armbro Joe O'Brien — Armstrong Bros. Co. — — 1966 Pay Dirt Earle Avery — Clearview Stables — — 1967 Nevele Pride Stanley Dancer Stanley Dancer Nevele Acres Farm 2:06 1/5 — 1968 Nevele Major Stanley Dancer — Nevele Acres Farm — — 1969 Timothy T. John F. Simpson Sr. John F. Simpson Sr. John F. Simpson Sr. 2:03 1/5 — 1970 Savoir Jimmy Arthur — Allwood Stable — — 1971 Hoot Speed Glen Garnsey — Castleton Farms 1:57 3/5 — 1972 Flower Child Joe O'Brien — Samuel Huttenbauer Jr. 2:01 3/5 — 1973 — — — — — — 1974 Colonial Charm Glen Garnsey — Castleton Farms 1:56 1/5 — 1975 Colonial Charm Glen Garnsey — Castleton Farms — — 1976 Zoot Suit Stanley Dancer Stanley Dancer Norman Woolworth 2:03 3/5 — 1977 Speed In Action Del Miller — H. A. Grant Jr. & Jean L. Malchin 2:00 1/5 — 1978 Doublemint Peter Haughton — John Lavezzo 1:58 2/5 — 1979 Chiola Hanover James Allen Bill Vaughn Mickey & Allan Chasanoff 1:58 — 1980 Final Score Tommy Haughton — Hubert Reidel 1:56 4/5 — 1981 Graf Zepplin Gary Lewis Gary Lewis Starship Stable 1:58 — 1982 Jazz Cosmos Mickey McNichol — Sunbird Stable — — 1983 TV Yankee Tommy Haughton — Leon & Lorraine Mahiz 1:56 2/5 — 1984 Impish Legacy Pekka Korpi Heikki Korpi Heikki Korpi — — 1985 Nearly Perfect Mickey McNichol Joe Caraluzzi Sunbird Stables — — 1986 Royal Prestige Berndt Lindstedt — Continental Farm Stable 1:57 1/5 — 1987 Napoletano Bill O'Donnell Tommy Haughton Walter Belanger 2:00 14 — 1988 Slybowl Hanover D. Shetler — — 1:55 1/5 — 1989 Crown's Majesty D. Rankin — — 1:56 2/5 — 1990 Embassy Lobell Michel Lachance Jerry Riordan — — — 1991 Fiddler Hanover John Simpson Jr. — Riccardo Tempestini — — 1992 Meadow Glory Dan Ross Dan Ross M. Kenneth Bencic, Ron Hovorka, & Jim Di Fiore 1:54 3/5 — 1993 Pine Chip John Campbell Chuck Sylvester Chuck Sylvester & Guida Stable — — 1994 Incredible Abe John Campbell — Morris Feldman 1:54 1/5 Stakes record 1995 Giant Hit John Patterson Jr. — Steve & Stan Robins/Ted & Jacqueline Gewertz 1:54 2/5 — 1996 Running Sea Wally Hennessey Chuck Sylvester DDH Racing Stables Inc. 1:56.4 — 1997 Malabar Man Jimmy Takter Jimmy Takter Malvern Burroughs — — 1998 Muscles Yankee John Campbell — Irving Liverman & Perretti Farms 1:57 — 1999 — — — — — — 2000 — — — — — — 2001 Chasing Tail John Campbell Chuck Sylvester Al Libfeld, Irving Liverman, Marvin Katz, and Sam Goldband 1:54.4 — 2002 Like A Prayer Ron Pierce — — 1:55.0 — 2003 Mr. Muscleman Ron Pierce — — — —

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