The Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association (NSHRIA) has announced the renaming of the Nova Scotia Stake Series to the Phil Pinkney Memorial.

Pinkney passed away on November 13, 2021 and will be long remembered as one of the most successful horsemen in Atlantic Canada.  The favourite part of harness racing for Pinkney was winning and teaching the next generation of horsemen. 

Phil Pinkney was named Canada’s Top Horseman, won an O’Brien Award, two Gold Cup and Saucers and the hearts of many throughout the Atlantic provinces, Ontario and the United States. He was one of the finest all-around, Maritime-based trainer/driver in this region and he has the records to prove it, with 5,506 drives, 1,654 wins, a UDRS of 0.420 and earnings of more than $2.314 million, and as a trainer, he had another $1.092 million in earnings. 

“Phil had much success buying yearlings, breaking them and preparing them for their stakes season," said Brad McCallum, Nova Scotia Stake administrator, "so it is only fitting to rename the Nova Scotia Stake after Phil. “

The NSHRIA would like to thank family and friends for helping make the Phil Pinkney Memorial “just a little different than most,” which is how protégé Brent McGrath described Phil’s set up when he first met Phil Pinkney at Truro Raceway.

The first division of the Phil Pinkney Memorial will be held at Truro Raceway on June 17, 2022 when the three-year-old pacing colts go behind the gate.

(Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association)