Baldwin, Ralph N.
Harness racing
b. Feb. 25, 1916, Lloydminster, SAS
d. Sept. 26, 1982
A long-time trainer and driver for Castleton Farms, Baldwin was best known for his success with Speedy Scot, Harness Horse of the Year in 1963. Speedy Scot not only took the trotting triple crown with victories in the Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity, and Yonkers Futurity, he also won the Dexter Cup.
Speedy Scot won 13 of 15 heats that year. One loss came when he threw a shoe and broke stride. The other was in the first heat of the Hambletonian, and it took a world record 1:57 3/5 by Florlis to do it. But Baldwin drove Speedy Scot to victories in the next two heats, and later that year they also broke Florlis's record with a 1:56 4/5 at Lexington.
Baldwin was convinced that horses know when race day has arrived. On the morning of a race, he had his horses walked to calm them down, and sometimes even jogged them to make them think it was an ordinary day of training.