Ben White - A Harness Racing Legend

Benjamin Franklin White, widely recognised as Ben White, was a legendary Standardbred horse trainer and driver born in 1873 in Whitevale, a village east of Toronto. His journey into the world of racing began at the tender age of 15, where he quickly discovered that his passion lay in horses and racing—a calling he would pursue for the rest of his life.

Ben's rise to prominence in the harness racing industry can be attributed to his early realisation that success requires hard work and a commitment to learning. He understood that to excel, one must glean knowledge from those who are the best in the field.

At 20, Ben made the pivotal decision to move to America, where he apprenticed under the esteemed trainer and breeder Edward F. Geers at Village Farm in East Aurora, New York. Known as Pop Geers, he was a revered figure in harness racing, earning respect for his expertise despite being a man of few words, often referred to as “the silent man from Tennessee.” Geers believed that a trainer’s influence was evident in the performance of the horses, saying, "The horses on the track would say everything for him." Under his mentorship, Ben White honed his skills as a trainer and driver, and absorbed valuable life lessons about integrity and perspective.

This philosophy influenced Ben’s son, Gibson, who also pursued a career in horse training. Ben taught Gibson that much of a horse’s spirit and speed is shaped by its trainer's mindset, emphasising, "The trainer is the wind... he bends it in the way he wants it to grow, never breaking it." These insights are beautifully captured in Marguerite Henry's book, "Born To Trot", which chronicles the lives of Ben White, Gibson White, and their remarkable horse, Rosalind.

The Dynamic Duo: Ben and Gibson White with Rosalind

Ben White began his career in harness racing at a young age, so he saw no issue with allowing his son Gibson to join in the races as a teenager, given his fervent desire to become a teamster.

In 1933, father and son meticulously prepared for the Grand Circuit, the oldest racing series in the United States, which now features events at 20 racetracks nationwide. During one race, despite being an experienced rider, Gibson felt unusually anxious. His premonitions proved to be warranted when, midway through the race, the reins of his horse snapped, sending it into a reckless gallop. Recognising the imminent danger of a potential collision with other carts, including his father's, Gibson knew he had to act quickly. 

In a daring move, he leaped from the cart, grasped the horse’s croup, and managed to mount it, regaining control and steering it safely off the track. After the race, spectators were more eager to meet the young man who had averted disaster than the race's winner.

Later, Gibson faced a lengthy recovery from tuberculosis. To support him, Ben gifted him a newborn filly, whom he named Rosalind after the iconic Shakespearean character. As a two-year-old, Rosalind showcased her talent by winning six out of ten races, including the prestigious Junior Kentucky Futurity in 1935. She continued her winning streak in 1936, securing a double victory.

In her third racing season, Rosalind triumphed in seven out of eight events, clinching the Hambletonian at Good Time Park in Goshen, New York, with an impressive time of 2:01 3⁄4, all under the training and driving of Ben White. At five, she won three out of four races, and in 1939, she participated in an exhibition race alongside the world champion Greyhound, both breaking the world record.

Rosalind lived to the age of 17, passing away from cancer. While her legacy as a broodmare may not have reached the same heights, she produced six foals, the most notable being the mare Deanna.

Ben White's Career

After leaving his first teacher, Ben White worked as a hero trainer at the Knox family stables at Village Farm. His first winner in the Kentucky Futurity was the stallion The Abbe, who later became a good sire.

In 1915, Ben White became the head trainer of the Pastime Stable farm, where his best horses were Lee Axworthy and Volga.

After several years at Pastime Stable, Ben White opened his own stable in Lexington, Kentucky, where he worked with William N. Reynolds, the founder of the Reynolds Tobacco Company, an avid lover, philanthropist and patron of harness racing.

This began a period of numerous victories for Ben White as a trainer and driver. His track record as a driver includes four Hambletonians, seven Kentucky Futurities, six Matron Stakes and four Review Futurities. No major Grand Circuit event was held without his horses in the race.

Ben White is famous for his use of the whip in racing, or lack thereof, depending on how you look at it. The whip was never used to speed up or punish a horse, only to guide it around the track.

Several horses from his stable have influenced the breed, including the aforementioned The Abbe, as well as Scotland, Mr McElwyn, Volga, Iosola’s Worthy Sumatra, Ruth M Chenault and Kashmir.

Ben White considered his most outstanding horses to be Rosalind and Volo Song, winner of the Hambletonians in 1943. The following year, Volo Song broke his leg and was put down, his career cut short before it had begun. Ben believed that the stallion’s greatest starts were yet to come, but that was just the way things were.

Ben White became the only driver and trainer to win the Hambletonians four times.

Creator of the Training Racetrack

To avoid winter downtime, Ben White became the first trainer to send his horses from the north to Florida for training in 1920. In Orlando, Florida, there is Trotters Park, on the site of which the Ben White Raceway was once located. It was the largest training complex for harness horses in the United States, where championships were regularly held.

The racetrack opened in the late 40s, and in the 50s and 60s, the giant equestrian complex even hosted NASCAR Grand National car races.

Ben White did not see the closure of the racetrack; he died in 1958. His name is included in the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame of the US Racing Museum.

And on the site of the former Ben White Raceway, there is now a huge park with running tracks, baseball diamonds and football fields, which is also not bad. The name Ben White is gradually being forgotten, this is natural, new names are emerging in the racing industry, new champions and records are being born.

And yet, it would be good to remember those “old men” who laid the foundations of the industry, thanks to whom racing is flourishing today.

And who of our contemporaries can say about himself that he won the Hambletonians four times, being a trainer and a horse rider? That’s it.