Chain Reaction (horse)
Encyclopedia
Chain Reaction was a Canadian
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who in 1953 won two of the three races that would become part of the Canadian Triple Crown series and who set and equaled two track records.
A son of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Chop Chop
, Chain Reaction was bred by Gil Darlington at his Trafalgar Farm near Oakville, Ontario
. Purchased by Joseph Tomlinson, he was raced under his wife's name, Elodie Sully Tomlinson. In 1951, the Tomlinson's won the Quebec King's Plate with their gelding
, Mount Branca. A highly successful businessman, Joseph E. Tomlinson had interests in shipping and was a shareholder in Hollywood's MGM Studios
. http://www.metrolandmilestones.com/notice_detail.php?ws=ha&NoticeID=5603 The couple maintained a home in Oakville, Ontario
as well as a mansion in the Bahamas known as "High Tor" which they purchased from Sir Oliver Simmonds in 1963. http://www.reallife.ky/index.php/rl-showcases/87-lush-life-the-bahamas
Conditioned for racing by trainer
, Richard Townrow, at age three Chain Reaction ran seventh in the 1953 Queen's Plate
at Old Woodbine
in Toronto
. For the year, he won several top races in Ontario, Manitoba
and Quebec
, including the July 25 Quebec Queen's Plate at Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal
. In the edition that marked the Centennial of the Quebec Queen's Plate only four horses were willing to race against Chain Reaction. The colt won easily under American jockey Nick Combest. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=13kyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-bgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4927,3906731&dq=chain-reaction&hl=en Among his other wins, Chain Reaction captured the Prince of Wales Stakes
and Breeders' Stakes
which in 1959 became the final two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. In winning the 1953 Durham Cup Handicap
, Chain Reaction set a new track record for a mile and a quarter.
As a four-year-old, Chain Reaction continued to win some of the top races for older horses in Canada and equaled the Old Woodbine track record for a mile and an eighth in winning the 1954 Dominion Day Handicap
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QcstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4915,242714&dq=chain-reaction&hl=en
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who in 1953 won two of the three races that would become part of the Canadian Triple Crown series and who set and equaled two track records.
A son of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
inductee, Chop Chop
Chop Chop (horse)
Chop Chop was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was inducted in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. He was sired by Flares, a son of U.S. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox and a full brother to U.S. Triple Crown winner, Omaha. Flares raced in England with considerable success for owner...
, Chain Reaction was bred by Gil Darlington at his Trafalgar Farm near Oakville, Ontario
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
. Purchased by Joseph Tomlinson, he was raced under his wife's name, Elodie Sully Tomlinson. In 1951, the Tomlinson's won the Quebec King's Plate with their gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
, Mount Branca. A highly successful businessman, Joseph E. Tomlinson had interests in shipping and was a shareholder in Hollywood's MGM Studios
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. http://www.metrolandmilestones.com/notice_detail.php?ws=ha&NoticeID=5603 The couple maintained a home in Oakville, Ontario
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
as well as a mansion in the Bahamas known as "High Tor" which they purchased from Sir Oliver Simmonds in 1963. http://www.reallife.ky/index.php/rl-showcases/87-lush-life-the-bahamas
Conditioned for racing by trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
, Richard Townrow, at age three Chain Reaction ran seventh in the 1953 Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
at Old Woodbine
Greenwood Raceway
Greenwood Raceway is a defunct horse racing facility in Toronto.Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned and operated by two gentlemen named Pardee and Howell. Within a few years financial problems resulted in the property reverting...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. For the year, he won several top races in Ontario, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, including the July 25 Quebec Queen's Plate at Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In the edition that marked the Centennial of the Quebec Queen's Plate only four horses were willing to race against Chain Reaction. The colt won easily under American jockey Nick Combest. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=13kyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-bgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4927,3906731&dq=chain-reaction&hl=en Among his other wins, Chain Reaction captured the Prince of Wales Stakes
Prince of Wales Stakes
The Prince of Wales Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario. Restricted to three-year-old horses bred in Canada, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and three sixteenths . In 1959, the Prince of Wales Stakes became the...
and Breeders' Stakes
Breeders' Stakes
The Breeders' Stakes is a Canadian stakes race for Thoroughbred race horses first run in 1889. Since 1959 it has been the third race in the Canadian Triple Crown for three-year-olds...
which in 1959 became the final two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. In winning the 1953 Durham Cup Handicap
Durham Cup Stakes
The Durham Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid October, the Grade III race is open to horses age three and older. Raced over a distance of 1⅛ miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt, it currently offers a purse of...
, Chain Reaction set a new track record for a mile and a quarter.
As a four-year-old, Chain Reaction continued to win some of the top races for older horses in Canada and equaled the Old Woodbine track record for a mile and an eighth in winning the 1954 Dominion Day Handicap
Dominion Day Stakes
The Dominion Day Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in July at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. A Grade III event offering a purse of $200,000, it is open to horses aged three years and up. The race was run at a distance of 1⅛ miles from its inception until 1983 when...
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QcstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4915,242714&dq=chain-reaction&hl=en