Phil Milburn,,75

[pope of vegas]

 
Philip J. Milburn
 
Age 75, of Braidwood, IL passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side, from a battle of cancer, Friday, February, 24, 2012. Born October 6, 1936 in New Brunswick, NJ to the late Philip J. and Elnora (nee Wehrfritz) Milburn. Veteran of the United States Army, having served in the Korean War. Phil grew up in Seymour, WI, where he became a harness horseman at the age of sixteen. He was the youngest member of the United States Trotting Association. He has had a lifetime of racing and has enjoyed traveling all over the U.S. He loved his family and enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren. Phil also enjoyed antiquing with his wife, Donna. Surviving are his wife, Donna (nee Kirk) Milburn of Braidwood; two sons, Philip J. (Angela) Milburn of Custer Park, IL and Philip J. (Katie) Lewis of Austin, TX; daughter, Tracy (Jeff) Lenzie of Gardner, IL; eleven grandchildren, Colton Lenzie, Shawn Milburn, Alexis Lenzie, Shane Milburn, Blake Lenzie, and Dakota Lenzie, all of Illinois, and Darryn, Brandon, Ryne, and Ian Lewis all of Texas; brother, Robert (Annelise) Milburn of Crete, IL; and niece, nephews, and cousins from NJ, AZ, Paris, IL, and Downers Grove, IL. Preceding him in death was one son, Shawn Milburn. Cremation rites have been accorded. Private services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Hospice of Kankakee Valley would be appreciated. R.W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd., Braidwood Chapel in charge of arrangements.
R.W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd.
401 E. Main St., Braidwood, IL 60408 815-458-2336
  Phil was a very likable guy and a great competitor . My favorite horse of his was HAIL TO ALL. This horse was an Invite horse and absolutely loved the mud..  R.I.P. Phil

[LVGaryD]

Our deepest condolences to the Milburn family. A great old-time horseman!

 

[Wilderness]

The following from the 1974 USTA Handbook on Phil:

Phil's late father, Phil, Sr., was a jockey before turning to harness racing. Phil worked for his father, where he acquired experience, before going on his own. He is a graduate of Seymour, Wisconsin High School and was All Conference halfback in football and first string guard in basketball.

Phil who lives on a 49 acre farm in Braidwood, Ill. was married October 3, 1965. He and wife Carol have two boys, Phil, Jr., and Shawn. Phil is a Korean War veteran.

At the age of 14, he drove his first race at Elkhorn, Wisconsin in the summer of 1951. The horse, Phil Bob, was one which Phil's father had raised and had named after Phil and his brother, Bob, now a leading Chicago race official. Phil won his first race, also with Phil Bob, at Belvidere, Illinois Fair. In 1973 he raced the brilliant pacer Hail to All and got a 1:59.3 win with Cleostar at Sportsman's Park in 1973.

Milburn races primarily in the Chicago area. In 1961 he bought a crippled animal named Choya which was his "one-horse" stable until claimed in 1963. He won the Balmoral driving title in 1973.
end of quote

 There was also a Dec 1972 Hoof Beats article (Milburn Bros.) which I'm assuming was about Phil. Not in my archives.

[Hugh Jass]

If I remember right his last good horse was Shawn DW and he was a very nice IL bred. I bet a race I think

it was a rare afternoon race at spks and he was like 2/5  but I was betting a Plowman horse and I think his

name was Here Comes Silver who went off at 75-1 so I box them in the exatca for $80.00  and then bet

$120.0 w/p on Plowman, the gate opens those two leave and then I think it was Van Kidwell breaks and

takes the rest of the field out well Shawn DW won easily but I made a very nice collection.

Damn do I miss them days  :'(

Good Horseman and very nice gentleman.  RIP 

[Mags]

I was always a fan of Milburns horse Quick Chris who use to run Sunday afternoons at Balmoral. She went to the lead every week and gave me a run for my money..unfortunately she usually got caught by one of the big boys so I never made much profit on her.

RIP Mr Milburn

[careless hal]

Met him many years ago at Washington Park.  Great guy.  Condolences to family and friends.

[Just Saying]

My brother and I were in the grandstand at Spfld watching the colt stakes and Phil had Shawn DW in along with a very nice colt driven by Tom Harmer(I think). The gate closed and those 2 took off like they were on fire. When they passed the 1/8 pole I said to my bro that they had to pace that 1st 1/8 in 12 seconds or so. He thought I was nuts until they got to the qtr in 25 and change. At that time it was the fastsest qtr ever paced. Phil let the parked horse go and sat on his  back. The pace slowed a bit and he just cruised along. Coming down the lane he tipped Shawn DW and blew right by to win.

[tonyb147]

My brother and I were in the grandstand at Spfld watching the colt stakes and Phil had Shawn DW in along with a very nice colt driven by Tom Harmer(I think). The gate closed and those 2 took off like they were on fire. When they passed the 1/8 pole I said to my bro that they had to pace that 1st 1/8 in 12 seconds or so. He thought I was nuts until they got to the qtr in 25 and change. At that time it was the fastsest qtr ever paced. Phil let the parked horse go and sat on his  back. The pace slowed a bit and he just cruised along. Coming down the lane he tipped Shawn DW and blew right by to win.

That's exactly what I remember about Shawn DW. FAST!!!! Unfortunately the horse was born the same year as another top IL bred..........Hothead.

RIP 

[Brush and Crush]

If I remember right his last good horse was Shawn DW and he was a very nice IL bred. I bet a race I think

it was a rare afternoon race at spks and he was like 2/5  but I was betting a Plowman horse and I think his

name was Here Comes Silver who went off at 75-1 so I box them in the exatca for $80.00  and then bet

$120.0 w/p on Plowman, the gate opens those two leave and then I think it was Van Kidwell breaks and

takes the rest of the field out well Shawn DW won easily but I made a very nice collection.

Damn do I miss them days  :'(

Good Horseman and very nice gentleman.  RIP 

Shawn DW was the first horse I ever won a win bet on

  R.I.P.

[MichiganDale]

RIP, Phil......always liked the man.   Didn't they have a horse, Master Shawn that was named for a baby boy of thiers that died?   

[Wilderness]

Master Shawn 2001-02

[miss media]

RIP, Phil......always liked the man.   Didn't they have a horse, Master Shawn that was named for a baby boy of thiers that died?

I believe you are thinking of Shawn D W.

[AmyHollar]

Master Shawn raced at Northfield.

Sorry, just now saw your link Wilderness. 

He was claimed several times as a 14 year old.........kind of an interesting story.

[Wilderness]

Amy,
        I've a nagging recollection that PK had the horse here in Mich for a while, although I could be mistaken

[AmyHollar]

Amy,
        I've a nagging recollection that PK had the horse here in Mich for a while, although I could be mistaken

His USTA lines are showing all Chicago tracks, a few trips to Pompano then finishing out in Ohio.