The Colonial Trot was a harness racing event for three-year-old standardbred trotters raced at a distance of one mile. The race was created in 1968, joining the Dexter Cup, the Yonkers Trot, the Hambletonian, and the Kentucky Futurity to form the "Big Five" races for three-year-old trotters.

History Edward J. Dougherty, then president of Liberty Bell Park Racetrack, organized The Colonial, the track's first $100,000 race. The event was created after the track in Philadelphia failed to secure the Hambletonian Stakes in the mid-1960s.

The Colonial Trot, a one-mile race for three-year-olds, was staged for the first time on September 14, 1968. The Colonials' debut marked a significant addition to Philadelphia's sports schedule. Co-sponsored by the Liberty Bell and William Penn Associations, it was the newest among the nine $100,000 harness races in the United States. The inaugural Colonial Trot featured Dart Hanover, Eric B., Nevele Pride, Master Yankee, Jostle, Keystone Spartan, and Snow Speed. The seven three-year-old trotters raced for a purse distribution of $50,000, $25,000, $12,000, $8,000, and $5,000 for the top five finishers. Stanley Dancer piloted Nevele Pride to victory in the 1968 event. The Colonial's first record was set at 1:59 by Nevele Pride.

When Philadelphia's Liberty Bell Park Racetrack went out of business in 1985, the 1986 Colonial Trot was carried over to Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland. The Colonial became a stakes event under the Hambletonian Society and was considered the first step toward the Hambletonian Stakes.

Following Rosecraft Raceway's withdrawal due to financial difficulties, Foxboro Park paid $50,000 to host the 28th running of the event. The five-eighths-of-a-mile oval was selected by the Hambletonian Society over Hoosier Park, The Meadows, Pocono, and Meadowlands. Foxboro Park presented The Colonial on April 22, 1995. From 1996 onward, it was relocated to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

The Colonial was resumed in 2007 at Harrah's Philadelphia after a three-year hiatus. Ahead of the 2013 season, the stakes event was moved from Harrah's Philadelphia to Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, with the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association instituting a year-to-year alternation between the two tracks.

Distances At its inception in 1968, the Colonial Trot was raced over a distance of one mile.

Locations 1968–1985: Liberty Bell Park Racetrack, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. 1985–1994: Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, Maryland, U.S. 1995: Foxboro Park, Foxborough, Massachusetts, U.S. 1996–2004: Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2007-2012: Harrah's Philadelphia, Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. 2013-: Pocono Downs, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Records Most wins by a driver 3 – Stanley Dancer (1968, 1972, 1985)

Colonial Trot winners Year Winner Driver Trainer Owner Time Notes 1968 Nevele Pride Stanley Dancer — — 1:59 Stakes and world record; $50,803 1969 Lindy's Pride Howard Beissinger Howard Beissinger Frank and Tom Antonacci (Lindy Farms) 2:00 2/5 $50,835 1970 Timothy T. John F. Simpson Jr. — John F. Simpson Sr. 2:03 1/5 — 1971 Speedy Crown Howard Beissinger Howard Beissinger Frank and Tom Antonacci — — 1972 Super Bowl Stanley Dancer — — — — 1973 Flirth Ralph N. Baldwin Ralph N. Baldwin — 2:01 2/5 $51,747 1974 Keystone Gabriel Peter Haughton — — 2:01.3 — 1975 Meadow Bright Del Miller Del Miller Del Miller (Hanover Shoe Farms) 2:02 First filly to win 1976 Armbro Regina Joe O'Brien — Armstrong Brothers 2:00.4 $63,382 1977 Green Speed Billy Haughton — — 1:58 4/5 Stakes record 1978 Florida Pro George Sholty — — 1:58.2 Stakes record; $56,675 1979 Chiola Hanover Jimmy Allen — — 2:02 1/5 — 1980 Noble Hustle Doug Ackerman — — 2:00.1 $46,109 1981 Keystone Triton Eldon Harner — Max Buran & Abe Farber 2:01 $66,182 1982 Jazz Cosmos Mickey McNichol — — 1:58.1 $48,219 1983 Power Seat Bill O'Donnell — Angelo & Orante C. Roncone 1:59.1 $75,000 1984 Why Not Mickey McNichol Joe Caraluzzi — 1:59 1/5 — 1985 Piggvar Stanley Dancer — — 1:58.0 Track record; $38,077 1986 Everglade Hanover Hakan Wallner Hakan Wallner — — — 1987 Mack Lobell John Campbell — — — — 1990 Jeanne's Somolli Rod Allen Carl Allen L. Walter Houston 1:56.4 — 1991 Mr Chin — Oswaldo Formia — 1:54.4 — 1992 Herschel Walker — Jan Johnson Tomas Bertmark 1:58.3 — 1993 GEO Hanover Per Henricksen — — 1:58.2 — 1994 Keystone Graham Ron Pierce — — 2:00.3 — 1995 Keystone Galactic Roger Hammer Roger Hammer Roger Hammer 1:58.2 — 1996 Tony Oaks John Eades John Eades Antonio DeRossi — — 1997 Famously Brian Allen Jim Cruise Jr. — 1:56.4 — 1998 Brylin Image John Holmes — — 1:57 1/5 — 1998 Exactitude Trevor Ritchie — — 1:57 1/5 —

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