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