Before it reached sixty years of age, Santa Anita had pretty much seen it all. It hosted scores of memorable races, served as the homebase for a who's who of Thoroughbred racing legends, held an edition of the Breeders' Cup, and even served as an Olympic venue.

Not a lot of racetracks can match that list of accomplishments, but one surprising omission could be found in the Santa Anita timeline.

The legendary venue had yet to host a match race.

Both Hollywood Park and Del Mar had served as a site for two horses to battle on the track, but nothing like that had played out in front of Santa Anita's Art Deco grandstand. To be fair, match races had not really been part of the sport in several years, but the fact that no horses had met one-on-one in Arcadia since the track opened in 1934 was quite an odd fact.

That all changed on April 20, 1991. Two horses had a showdown on Huntington Drive that day, but this was not a traditional match race.

Rather, it was a showcase of speed.

In post one stood Griswold, a well-known presence over at Los Alamitos. Trained by Don Francisco, Griswold owned of several wins, including some Grade III events, at the Cypress track, Griswold was a quarter-horse. That of course meant he knew speed. Pure speed.

Next door to him was Valiant Pete, who found the winners' circle at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita before meeting up with Griswold. Like his opponent, Valiant Pete had tasted stakes glory, having won the California Cup Sprint Handicap at the 1990 Oak Tree meet. Later on, he took second in the Grade III Palos Verdes Handicap early in the track's 1990-91 winter/spring meet.

Formally called the World Record Challenge Invitational Stakes, the match race pitted two speedy horses side by side. A Quarter-Horse against a Thoroughbred. Who would be the fastest of the two?

The distance for the race was four furlongs. The bettors believed Griswold would carry his speed through and get the win, making him odds-on at 2-5. Valiant Pete took even money as everyone readied themselves for what promised to be a quick match race.

Griswold got out ahead of Valiant Pete as his rider, Kip Didericksen, worked the reins quickly. Valiant Pete and Julio Garcia stayed right by on the outside, however, not losing touch with the leader.

As the horses went around the far turn, Griswold's lead was rapidly reduced. In mere seconds, he went from having a three-quarters of a length lead to being nose and nose with Valiant Pete. They dueled as they went to the top of the stretch, Valiant Pete with his white blinkers on and Griswold staying with him on the inside.

Neither horse gave in as they went down the final straight to the sound of the excited fans. No one knew who was going to win. Griswold and Valiant Pete were both so determined to get to the wire first. Both jockeys were looking for more from their mounts as the two chestnuts put on a brilliant battle in the stretch. No daylight victories were in store here; the winner was going to fight for it.

With a few fleeting moments to go, the two horses stayed together. But Valiant Pete called on something extra, and he pulled ahead in the last few jumps to win by a neck in an event that more than lived up to its billing.

Trainer John Sadler and Julio Garcia now had the distinction of becoming the first trainer and rider to win a match race at Santa Anita, and Valiant Pete had the honor of becoming the first horse to do so. As for Griswold, there was absolutely no shame in his performance. He fought hard with Valiant Pete but just did not have enough left to counter his opponent in the stretch. That being said, he ran his heart out and deserved respect for that outing.

Griswold later went back to his old home of Los Alamitos, winning more stakes there. He eventually captured some Grade I contests, too. As for Valiant Pete, he later won some minor stakes at Golden Gate Fields, so both horses went on to do well for themselves after their head-to-head meeting.

They may have gone their separate ways following that afternoon at Santa Anita, but Griswold and Valiant Pete will always share a link thanks to being part of Santa Anita's very first match race.