MEMORIAL DAY 2026

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, WAS NAMED AND PLATED IN 1805, TWO YEARS AFTER OHIO BECAME A STATE.

WHAT DOES CHAMPAIGN MEAN IN FRENCH?

A) FINE WINE

B)  FLAT

C) CHAMPION

Your weekly word play... might be right... might be wrong

Rambling Willie (1970-1995) was a World Champion pacer that raced from 1973-1983, accruing over $2,000,000 from his 305 lifetime starts. He began his record-setting career of 128 victories with a 5th place finish right here at the Mercer County Fairgrounds in 1973. What announcer called that race?

A) Roger Huston

B) Doug Ballinger

C) Chris Patterson

D) Ray Henley 

E) Bill Peters

Celina native Doug Ballinger remembers it well from his 55+ year career as an announcer.

Roger was everywhere but here

Chris (R.I.P.) was on the SVCC

Ray Henley was a horse that terrorized the 30s & 40s (8-)

Bill Peters is the Man of Many Hats for the OFRC

Who was the final champion to win the Battle of Brandywine on their way to the Little Brown Jug that September?

A) Goalie Jeff (1989)

B) Barberry Spur (1985)

C) Niatross (1980) 

Nehi just dominated every race he was in and it was no different from May or September

APRIL 4th

WHAT FAMOUS BUNNY WAS THE HORSE OF THE YEAR IN 2001? 

THE DAUGHTER OF PRECIOUS BUNNY-LAKE NORAH WHO EARNED $2.8 MILLION WITH A TAB OF 1:49:

 BUNNY LAKE

MARCH 16th

What Ohio horse won the very first race at the Meadowlands in September, 1976?

QUICK BARON by BARON HANOVER

What other Ohio horse set a Worlds Record that night as well?

LEST YOU FORGET:

SIX-YEAR-OLD RAMBLING WILLIE

FEBRUARY 11th

A very ancient trivia question:

Bacchus was the Roman god of celebrations and festivities. 

He also ruled over:

A) Wine

B) Fertility

C) The Theater & the Arts

The Answer is: All of the above!

He was the most popular of the Roman deities and 

Old Bacchus was definitely "The Dude."

JANUARY 31st

It's been nippy alright but the coldest temperature in Ohio occurred one year during a February blizzard and was minus 39 below zero.

Where abouts and when?

A) 1888 - Willoughby (located up by Lake Erie)

B) 1901 - Edgarton (in the northwest corner of the state)

C) 1899 - Milligan (60 miles southeast of Columbus)

Milligan, a small hamlet 17 miles south of Zanesville & 30 miles east of Lancaster & in a valley alongside a river, got its claim to fame as the coldest spot ever in Ohio. They were without electricity and phone service for years ...until they brought  electricity and phone service to Perry county  in the 1930s.

JANUARY 14th

 PROXIMITY WAS AN 8-YEAR-OLD WHEN SHE WAS HORSE OF THE YEAR (& THE FIRST MARE) IN 1950.

SU MAC LAD WAS EIGHT WHEN HE TOOK THE HONORS IN 1962.

WHAT OTHER 8-YEAR-OLD GRABBED THE AWARD?

A) GOOD TIME

B)  FRESH YANKEE

C) SAVOIR

A) GOOD TIME WAS  THE OTHER 8-YEAR-OLD WHEN HE WAS A REPEAT WINNER IN 1952 . HE HAD ORIGINALLY TAKEN IT IN 1949 AS A 3-YEAR-OLD

DECEMBER 22nd

Who was the first to earn over $500,000 during their career?

A) Good Time

B) Scott Frost

C) Adios Butler

C) Yes, Kato... the Butler did it when he retired in 1961 with record earnings of $509,875. He would stand his entire 22-year stud career at Fair Chance Farms in Washington Court House, Ohio

DECEMBER 5th

B) Niatross was the first in October of 1980... now the sub-1:50 mile is as common as eyebrows.

AND BONUS IF YOU KNEW THAT ALBATROSS WAS THE SIRE OF NIATROSS WHO WAS THE SIRE OF NIHILATOR

NOVEMBER 19th

C) BEN FRANKLIN PROPOSED MAKING THE TURKEY OUR NATIONAL EMBLEM.  IT IS VERY CUNNING & WILY IN THE WILD UNLIKE THE DOMESTICATED ONES.

IT WAS NAMED "TURKEY" AS THE COLONISTS THOUGHT THAT WAS THE COUNTRY THEY ORIGINATED FROM.

NOVEMBER 11th

In 1951 Tar Heel, with catch-driver Del Cameron aboard for trainer Delvin Miller, graced the Delaware County Fairgrounds in 2:00 flat. It would not be equaled until 1955 when the filly Dottie's Pick (with Del Miller for trainer Billy Haughton) set a World Record  in the 2nd heat.

NOVEMBER 3rd

Hobbles have been in existence since ancient times when prisoners were captured and had leggings of wood/iron/rope around their ankles to  keep them from running.  The Indiana Pants made the horses hop instead of galloping and thus were also called "hopples' by the wits of the day.

AUGUST 22nd