The Record
Bedford Valley appears in the surviving Plainridge programs across 2 seasons, 2003 to 2004, with 8 starts for which the official chart records a finishing position. One of those produced a win, and the horse finished in the first three on 2 occasions altogether.
The fastest mile recorded here is 2:03.2, set on Tuesday, November 18, 2003. A harness time is written in minutes, seconds and fifths, so the final digit is a fifth of a second rather than a hundredth. On a track of this size like Plainridge a horse turns four times in a mile, which costs ground against the bigger tracks and makes direct comparison of raw times misleading.
The classes Bedford Valley was entered in run to 3000CL OP, BILLINGS, NW200PS, QUA, 2000CL OP. These are condition races rather than claiming events, so eligibility rested on money already won rather than on a posted purchase price.
The drivers who sat behind Bedford Valley most often were Ralph H Andersen (4), Robert A Kenney (1), David J Marshall (1). Driver changes matter more in harness racing than the bare numbers suggest, because the same horse can be driven for early speed or held for a late quarter depending on who holds the lines.
Every Start Held Here
| Date | Rc | Fin | PP | Time | Odds | Driver | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2004 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 2:07.2 | 14.90 | John A Di Stefano | 3000CL OP |
| Sep 11, 2004 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2:09.0 | 8.30 | David C Drew | BILLINGS |
| Aug 7, 2004 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2:05.1 | 34.20 | David J Marshall | NW200PS |
| Jun 19, 2004 | 8 | — | 4 | — | — | Greg D Bowden | NW200PS |
| Jun 12, 2004 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | David J Marshall | QUA |
| Apr 5, 2004 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 2:13.2 | 7.20 | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Dec 2, 2003 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2:05.0 | 19.30 | Ralph H Andersen | 3000CL OP |
| Nov 25, 2003 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 2:07.4 | 14.70 | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Nov 18, 2003 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2:03.2 | 3.00 | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Nov 8, 2003 | 3 | — | 8 | — | — | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Nov 1, 2003 | 5 | — | 8 | — | — | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Oct 25, 2003 | 6 | — | 6 | — | — | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Oct 11, 2003 | 9 | — | 3 | — | — | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Sep 27, 2003 | 8 | — | 5 | — | — | Ralph H Andersen | NW200PS |
| Jul 19, 2003 | 5 | 8 | 7 | - | 26.00 | Robert A Kenney | 2000CL OP |
| Jul 12, 2003 | 5 | — | 6 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | NW200PS |
| Jul 5, 2003 | 7 | — | 3 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | NW200PS |
| Jun 21, 2003 | 2 | — | 5 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | NW200PS |
Questions about this horse
Was Bedford Valley a trotter or a pacer?
A trotter — every charted start is at the trot. A pacer moves its legs in lateral pairs, a trotter in diagonal pairs, and a horse is normally campaigned at one gait or the other.
Which conditions was Bedford Valley entered under?
3000CL OP, BILLINGS, NW200PS and QUA, plus 1 other condition. Each code is a set of eligibility conditions rather than a grade — the class pages explain what each one admitted.
What were the odds on Bedford Valley?
The shortest price in the recovered charts is 3.00 to one. Odds are the closing figures printed on the chart, so they reflect what the pool decided at the off, not a forecast.
How often did Bedford Valley go to the gate here?
The record shows 8 charted starts for Bedford Valley, 2003 to 2004. The name appears on 18 race days in all once entry sheets are counted, because a horse can be drawn into a race and then scratched before it is run. That is what the programmes and result sheets hold, not necessarily the horse's full career: starts made at other tracks are outside this record.
Did Bedford Valley ever win here?
Yes — 1 win from 8 starts, a strike rate of 12.5%. Adding 0 seconds and 1 third, Bedford Valley finished in the first three on 2 occasions.
What is the best time recorded for Bedford Valley?
2:03.2, on 2003-11-18. Harness times are read as minutes, seconds and fifths, so 2:03.2 is 2 minutes and the rest in seconds — the final fifth is the digit after the last point.
Who drove Bedford Valley?
Ralph H Andersen (4), Robert A Kenney (1) and David J Marshall (1), plus 2 other drivers taking the remainder. The figure in brackets is the number of drives.