The first horse in New Zealand to run a mile in faster time than two minutes was Lawn Derby, an Australian free-legged pacer who, in 1938 at Addington, paced the distance in a trial against time in 1 min 59.4 sec.
Other horses to have run 2 min or under in New Zealand are:
| 1942 | Gold Bar, 1 min 59.6 sec |
| 1944 | Haughty, 1 min 59.6 sec |
| 1948 | Highland Fling, 1 min 57.8 sec |
| 1953 | Johnny Globe, 1 min 59.8 sec (grass track) |
| Tactician, 1 min 59.8 sec (moving start) | |
| False Step, 2 min (moving start) | |
| 1960 | Caduceus, 1 min 57.6 sec |
| 1963 | Cardigan Bay, 1 min 56.2 sec |
Co-creator
James Rutherford, M.A.(DURHAM), PH.D.(MICH.) (1906–63), Historian, Auckland.