The past three years have been an emotional test for horseman Rene Dion.

The trainer he worked with 25 years, Pierre Touchette, died at 64, and two of their longtime owners, Michel Flanagan and Dr. Lucien Paiement, also passed away, at 65 and 80.

“When Pierre died, I actually debated if I should keep going,” said Dion, 43.

His decision was to carry on training, and Saturday, he was rewarded with his biggest victory since going solo when Flanagan Memory won the $225,276 Goodtimes Trot final at Mohawk Racetrack. Making it even sweeter, he co-owns the three-year-old with Flanagan’s daughter Liette.

“That was a big relief, very special,” said Dion. now based in Ontario and operating a 19-horse stable.

Not that he felt especially confident when he saw Flanagan Memory gun for the lead from post nine. The horse has been dogged with poor posts throughout his career, and it’s cost him, Dion said.

“When Chris (Christoforou, the driver) left with the horse, my heart started beating hard,” Dion said. “But when he stole the second quarter, I said ‘I think we’re in business’. My brother Mario was with me for the race, and I was pretty happy about that. It was late when we got back to the farm, but we celebrated with a bottle of wine. It’s not an easy game. One week things go perfect, the next week nothing goes as planned. So you enjoy it when it works out.”

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean; photo courtesy New Image Media)