On Tuesday, December 6, harness racing’s newest inductee to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Yves Filion, will be feted before the Quebec National Assembly in Quebec City.
Filion and his renowned Bayama Farms are names that have resounded throughout North America in harness racing over the last few decades, and have resonated with the name of his home province, Quebec.
Sponsored by his deputy in Argenteuil, Yves St-Denis, Yves Filion will be honoured before the National Assembly with a special tribute for his immense contributions to the development of harness racing in Quebec for many years.
Yves comes from a family steeped in harness racing history, the Filion’s, which made itself known at all the North American Standardbred racetracks. But beyond the name Filion, there is the name Yves, a man who built himself and whom he radiated by his own exploits.
More than 50 years in the racing industry does not necessarily bring success, but for Yves, that was the case. Goliath Bayama, Leader Bayama, Rebeka Bayama, Naomi Bayama, Lady Bayama, champions of their time, is the fruit of the passionate work of a man who has possessed all the keys to the difficult art of developing champions.
“This is such an honour,” Filion said, “Something special that can happen only once in a lifetime. I am very proud and at a loss for words to express my feelings. With this honour and my induction to the Hall of Fame in August, it has made for a very good year.
“If not for the many owners who supported me,” Filion added, “my career would not have been so fulfilling. I must thank many of my owners including Réal Bélanger, Brian Paquet, Jacques Damours, Luc Paiement, Gaston Bibeau, Sylvain Deschenaux, Serge Godin, Gene Kruger, Normand Mondou and others helped me a great deal.”
Filion, 68, from Saint-Andre-D’Argent, has been one of Quebec’s premier drivers and trainers for the better part of 30 years. He has driven in over 18,000 races and has 4,387 victories and earnings of over $26.7 million to his credit. He’s also trained 291 winners and horses to earnings of over $3.8 million, and bred many successful horses at his Bayama Farms.
Two of the most successful horses that he developed, trained and drove were millionaire pacing colts Runnymede Lobell and Goliath Bayama.
Yves trained and drove Runnymede Lobell to victory in the 1988 North America Cup, his richest of 31 victories. Runnymede Lobell won over $1.6 million during his career.
Goliath Bayama was another millionaire that Yves not only trained but bred. Considered his top trainee, Goliath Bayama won 25 races with earnings of over $1.5 million in his career. After his two-year-old season, Yves turned the driving duties over to his son, Sylvain. The pair combined for a runner-up finish in the North America Cup in his three-year-old campaign.
As an older pacer, ‘Goliath’ won both the Breeders Crown in 1:48.4 and then the US Pacing Championship in 1:48.2 in 2001 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. On August 19, 2001, Filion’s Goliath Bayama set a Canadian record of 1:48.1 at Hippodrome de Montreal and then another of his trainees, Ring Of Life, a horse he had purchased as a yearling, captured the Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs. Filion’s son, Sylvain, drove both horses.
Filion also bred, owned and trained the top pacing mare Rebeka Bayama, a multiple stakes winner who won 23 races and over $690,000 during her career.
Filion also bred, trained and owned a number of Quebec champions including Goodtime Bayama, Sandy Bayama and Le Brave.
Yves is a brother to Hall of Famer Herve Filion and the youngest of eight boys and two girls. His son, Sylvain Filion, was Canada’s Driver of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
(Quebec Jockey Club)