Normand Masse Passes

Longtime Quebec trainer Normand Masse, whose biggest horse was the 1988 pacing powerhouse Armbro Hunch, has passed away at the age of 70.

He was rushed to hospital in Montreal early Friday (February 25) after having collapsed at home during the night and died in hospital the next day.

“I drove a lot of horses for him. His barn was right in front of mine (at Blue Bonnets) and I can tell you he kept it neat. He was a good guy and hard worker, always at the barn,” said hall-of-fame horseman Benoit Cote, who last spoke to Masse last year at the regional circuit races in Bedford, Que.

The two men combined for a memorable season in 1988, when Cote drove Armbro Hunch for Masse against the best two-year-olds in North America. The BGs Bunny colt, a $19,000 (U.S.) yearling purchase by Masse for Montreal nightclub owner Jean-Guy Girard, won 15 of 17 starts that year, with two seconds, and collected $350,000. Victories included a division of the Prix de L`Avenir at Blue Bonnets, in a Canadian record time of 1:55, and the $200,000 Lou Babic final at Freehold, where they set a track record of 1:56.

The Babic was Armbro Hunch`s final race. Weeks later, the colt would be found dead in his stall.

“He was the best two-year-old I ever drove, and I drove Semalu Damour,” said Cote. “That horse was fantastic, but he had a good trainer, too.”

Masse, who got his start in the business as a teenager working for horseman Gilles Lachance at the racetrack in Sherbrooke, Que., began training horses full-time at 18, and only stopped about a year ago. His list of equine stars included Johnny Lus and Snazzy Drummond.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Normand Masse.