Horses and drivers ride behind the gate before the start of the race. MICHAEL HOLAHAN/STAFF

Harness-racing fever builds

Web posted March 17, 2000

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By Greg Rickabaugh
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- Bruce and Janis McGhee were determined to put on a super show at the Aiken Harness Race this year to benefit the University of South Carolina Aiken.

So the couple did something nobody else does. They cut stall rent this season from $650 a horse to $300, which doubled the horse population at the Aiken harness track, now known as McGhees' Mile.

``It's an absolute loser, but I'm Republican. I believe if you cut the rate, you get the volume. So, we accomplished our goal, and the people are here. And we now have more than twice as many horses to pick from to put a good show on,'' Mr. McGhee said.

``We didn't get the number of horses that we needed really to put on a good show last year for the university's benefit, and we decided that we were going to make damn sure that this year we had enough horses here so that we could put a super show on.''

With more horses to pick from, the Aiken Harness Race is shaping up to be the best ever. Once again, several business organizations and banks have donated a total of $8,000 to offer as $1,000 purses in each of the day's eight races. That guarantees some money for everyone.

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The winner will receive $500; second place will get $250; third will earn $120; fourth gets $80; and the last-place finisher in each race wins $50.

In addition, there will be performances from the USC Aiken Pep Band, Sparky Noel, Bugler and Bobby Tuba's New Orleans Dixie Land Band.

As always, proceeds go to support the USC Aiken Pacer Club, the athletic department's booster organization. The money helps with scholarships for student-athletes, athletic awards banquets and general operating expenses.

``Basically, that day is dedicated for the benefit of the University of South Carolina Athletics Department,'' Mr. McGhee said. ``We do everything we can on April 1 of this year for the benefit of them. There is not one dime that stays here.''

The increased horse population at McGhees' Mile means that Mr. McGhee did not have to travel to training centers in other states to recruit trainers to run in the races.

The past year has been full of exciting changes at McGhees' Mile, which is the land on Banks Mill Road the couple purchased from the City of Aiken for $650,000. They added 250 stalls to the existing 147.

``Before we owned the place, they didn't have the capacity to accept big shows because big shows have 200 or 300 horses. When we put these (stalls) up, we immediately put up the capacity to handle shows. Before we bought the place, it was my commentary that the key to the success of this facility was to occupy them with five or six summer shows, where heretofore the city had one show. What the hell happens with the five months? It just sits there.

``Now, we've got six shows, and we can't accept much more because the turf would get torn up and won't recover quick enough. So we're about max for the summertime, and we've accomplished our mission even though it was almost by pure luck -- we bought the stalls for standardbred people, but they are flooded with show-horse people.

``So, we'll take it any way it comes.''

Last summer was the first for multiple shows, something the McGhees called a ``bonanza.'' This summer, the track will play host to a Triple A horse show -- two shows tied together, one on top of the other. Instead of having a four-day show, it will be 10 days with a few days of rest in between shows.

``And people will be staying here, hopefully laying over for a couple of inactive days,'' Mr. McGhee said. ``This place will be absolutely smothered with horses.''

The McGhees continue to dream of the possibilities at the track -- like a small museum commemorating some of the great horses and horsemen who have trained here.

The couple has also envisioned a cafe ``sometime down the road,'' Mr. McGhee said. ``People like to go and drink coffee and have a biscuit or something and watch horses train.''

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (803) 279-6895.