| Horsename: | Nihilator |
| Breed: | Standardbred |
| Sire: | Niatross (US) |
| Grandsire: | Albatross (US) |
| Dam: | Margie's Melody |
| Damsire: | Bret Hanover |
| Sex: | Stallion |
| Foaled: | 1982 |
| Death Date: | November 1991 |
| Country: | United States |
| Color: | Bay |
| Owner: | Wall Street Stable |
| Trainer: | Billy Haughton |
| Record: | 38:35-1-1 |
| Earnings: | US$3,225,754 |
| Awards: | 2 Year Old Colt Pacer of the Year (1984) 3 Year Old Colt Pacer of the Year (1985) United States Pacer of the Year (1985) United States Harness Horse of the Year (1985) |
| Honors: | United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame (1995) |
| Race: | Woodrow Wilson Pace (1984) Little Brown Jug (1985) Meadowlands Pace (1985) James Dancer Memorial (1985) Tattersalls Pace (1985) Walt Whitman Pace (1985) Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace (1985) |
| Updated: | 2016-02-22 |
Nihilator (1982–1991) was an American champion Standardbred racehorse and was the United States Harness Horse of the Year in 1985. The first standardbred to win $3 million, at the time of his retirement he was the leading stakes earning pacer in harness racing history.
As a two-year-old in 1984, Nihilator won his first twelve races before finishing second behind Dragon's Lair in the Breeders Crown.[1] His winning streak included a win in the Woodrow Wilson Pace, a race that was the richest run for either the Thoroughbred or Standardbred breed at the time. His winning time of 1:52 4/5 was a world record for a two-year-old pacer.[2] He was the 2-Year Old Colt Pacer of the Year for 1984.
Early in 1985 a 30 percent interest in Nihilator was sold for $5.76m to Almahurst Farm.[3] He won the 1985 Meadowlands Pace by 7 1/4 lengths equalling the world record for a pacer of any age with a time of 1:50 3/5. The last half mile was covered in 54 seconds. It was Nihilator's 18th win from 19 races.[4] In the Adios Pace at The Meadows Nihilator was surprisingly beaten in the first heat by Marauder, won the second heat and was scratched from the race-off.[5] Nihilator had bettered his Meadowlands Pace winning time when he won a race in 1:49 3/5 at The Meadowlands setting world record for the fastest race ever with quarter mile splits of 26 2/5, 53 4/5 and 1:21 2/5[6] before attempting to break the world record of 1:49 1/5 set by his sire Niatross in a time trial in 1980. In his time trial at Springfield he slowed running into a head wind in the last quarter mile running a time of 1:50 4/5.[7]
Nihilator started in the 1985 Little Brown Jug less than a week after winning the James Dancer Memorial at Freehold Raceway. It was his first start on a half mile track. Nihilator took the Jug with heat wins in 1:53 1/5 and 1:52 1/5. On the same day Falcon Seelster won a race recording a half mile track world record mile of 1:51.[8] Nihilator scored an easy win in the Walt Whitman Pace[9] before he ended his racing career with a win in the Breeders Crown at Garden State Park. For 1985 he won 23 of 25 starts and also won the Tattersalls Pace and Bluegrass Stake.[10] In his career Nihilator won 35 of 38 races and $3,225,754.[11] He was the first Standardbred to earn $3 million.[12]
In 1995, Nihilator United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame[13]
Nihilator was humanely destroyed in November 1991 after suffering from Potomac horse fever and laminitis.[14]