Page 52 - NMHBA Summer 2017

Some of the greats that Walt Harris trained . . .
1951 World Champion, 1951 Co-Champion Stallion
Bart B.S.
1946 Champion Stallion, 1951 Co-Champion Stallion Hard Twist
1952 Co-Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Black Easter Bunny was retired to the broodmare band after her race career
50 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Everyone recalls the Quarter Horses that Walt Harris trained, but he also did a good job on Thoroughbreds. A few of the tracks he and Dorothy ran horses at were Tropical Park, Ak-Sar-Ben, St. Louis, Oaklawn Park, New Orleans and Detroit. They spent
time at almost all the California tracks, and sometimes split the barn with Dorothy at one track and Walt at another. Dorothy recalled the time that, having no place to run a $2,500 claimer named Imputent Lady, she placed her in a $25,000 added race at Pomona, and ran second. She also did quite well with an own son of Triple Crown winner Omaha...in Omaha.
wanted to see it for himself. He was also adamant about a horseman being kind to his horses, and that there was no place for a bad temper in this sport. Walt is known for minding his business with exquisite care, a quality which has attracted some of the best owners and their horses in
War Basket. War Basket? “Just a little Thoroughbred gelding with the most guts in the world. A truly big heart.”
When I asked Walt if there was any particular thing that helped him most, he was quick to answer, “Binoculars”. He said that he never trusted someone else to tell him what was going on in a race. He
Walt’s last years as a public trainer were filled by the horse Barney O’ Toole. The Downs at Santa Fe racing seasons 1973-74 were dominated by this good running colt. Walt likes to remember each and every horse he trained as being something special. Horses like Hard Twist, Black Easter Bunny, Bart B.S., and
I sifted through many stacks of racing mementos and faded win pictures to select one I thought would say it best. I picked the one of Monita winning the Champion Handicap at Bay Meadows because she
is legend. Horsemen seem to remember her past time forgetting, and the good ones need to be remembered. Add Walt J. Harris to that list...for he is legend.
the racing industry. He trained for Lewis Blackwell starting in 1950 and was still doing business with him when Blackwell’s Mamie Taylor won the Thoroughbred Santa Fe Lassie Stakes in 1972.
Several years ago, Walt underwent open heart surgery and is semi-retired from the sport of racing. I visited him and Dorothy at their place outside of Moriarty, New Mexico. Walt showed me his sleek and fat horses, including the white pony- horse Rainbow which Dorothy gave him for Christmas 24 years ago.