"To have an honour like that, you have to be good every week, week after week, because if you have one good week and then three or four bad weeks, you go back down [the standings]."

Topping the standings at two tracks in 2018 helped lift Guy Gagnon to his first O'Brien Award of Horsemanship at the 2018 O'Brien Awards on February 2. Gagnon is a regular trainer-driver at Hippodrome 3R and Rideau Carleton Raceway, where he was once again atop the driving charts for wins this past season. Gagnon posted impressive numbers in both training and driving in 2018 with 209 wins and $1.1 million in driving earnings along with 59 victories and more than $352,000 in training earnings.

Gagnon's numbers weren't padded by one horse or a handful of standouts, but consistent success throughout the year bolstered by a solid support system.

"Teamwork made everything go good for our season."

Gagnon pointed to his win in the 2018 Eastern Ontario / Quebec Regional Driving Championship -- his third straight win after winning in 2014 and 2016 -- as one of his highlights of the year. He also picked up his 5,000th career victory at Hippodrome 3R in July, days after a stellar eight-win performance at Rideau Carleton.

"I'd like to thank all my owners, the help I have at the barn every morning, and my family that supports me year after year."

This is the seventh in a series of several post-event video interviews with O'Brien Award finalists, sponsored by Horse Racing Alberta.

On Saturday, Feb. 2, Standardbred Canada announced the winners for the 2018 O’Brien Awards at the 30th edition of the annual O’Brien Awards Black Tie Gala, held at the Hilton Mississauga / Meadowvale hotel in Mississauga, Ont. The O’Brien Awards honour Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season and are named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. To view the full list of 2018 O'Brien Award winners, click here.