Harness Racing's 2014 Leaders
Trot Insider has compiled a list of the 2014 leading drivers and trainers at racetracks across the country in recognition of their accomplishments.
For the third consecutive year, drivers Sylvain Filion and Trevor Henry and trainer Richard Moreau led all horsemen for purse earnings and wins in Canada.
Filion, 45, led all drivers in the nation for earnings with his mounts amassing nearly $5.7 million. The two-time O'Brien Award winner scored major victories in the Maple Leaf Trot with Intimidate and the Valley Victory with Pinkman. He also earned Grand Circuit stakes wins with Habitat and Lyons Levi Lewis in the Champlain and Designed To Be in the Simcoe in addition to driving Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Harper Blue Chip. The resident of Milton, Ont. also teamed up with Moreau for a big win with Evenin Of Pleasure in the Mohawk Gold Cup.
Henry won a season leading 472 races and earned his first nomination as Canada’s Driver of the Year. The 43-year-old reinsman from Arthur, Ont. topped the standings at multiple tracks including Clinton Raceway, Georgian Downs, Grand River Raceway and Hanover Raceway. A leading driver at the Ontario “B” tracks for many years, Henry shifted his focus to driving full time at Woodbine Racetrack in the fall and managed to climb up to 12th place in the driver standings.
Moreau could defend his title as Canada's Trainer of the Year at the O'Brien Awards in February and boasts a chart-topping 241 wins and over $2.7 million in earnings nationwide for 2014. The 50-year-old resident of Puslinch, Ont., whose large stable consists mainly of conditioned and claiming horses, took track titles at Flamboro Downs, Grand River Raceway, Hanover Raceway and Woodbine Racetrack.
Last year's inaugural Future Star Award winner Travis Cullen and veteran horseman Bill Davis were the nation's leading percentage driver and trainer, respectively.
Cullen sports a .410 driving average this year, earning 192 wins, 119 seconds and 92 thirds in 704 starts. At just 22 years old, the Sherwood Park, Alberta horseman swept all categories at Alberta Downs and Northlands Park. He also boasts an impressive training average of .505, which ranks second to Davis.
Davis' leading training average for 2014 is .515 as his stable earned 110 wins, 36 seconds and 35 thirds in 276 starts. Despite suffering the tragic loss of 17 horses in a Langley, B.C. barn fire, Davis, 53, maintained a commanding lead in both the trainer and driver standings for wins and money at Fraser Downs. "The Dominator" has been nominated for his second O'Brien Award of Horsemanship.
**All statistics include Canadian starts from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.
Alberta Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Travis Cullen ($515,493)
Top Driver (Wins) – Travis Cullen (118)
Top Trainer (Money) – Travis Cullen ($440,033)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Travis Cullen (98)
Charlottetown Driving Park
Top Driver (Money) - Marc Campbell ($230,746)
Top Driver (Wins) - Marc Campbell & Jason Hughes (126)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jackie Matheson ($123,475)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jason Hughes (75)
Clinton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Trevor Henry ($170,978)
Top Driver (Wins) – Trevor Henry (35)
Top Trainer (Money) – Dr. Ian Moore ($50,560)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Randy Marriage, Ken Oliver & Darcy McClure (4)
Exhibition Park Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Todd Trites ($19,665)
Top Driver (Wins) – Mark Haig (20)
Top Trainer (Money) – Earl Watts ($10,575)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Sifroi Melanson (10)
Fredericton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Todd Trites ($20,198)
Top Driver (Wins) - Todd Trites (13)
Top Trainer (Money) – Mike Stevenson ($10,149)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Michael Downey, Edward Harvey & Michael Campbell (6)
Flamboro Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Robert Shepherd ($879,076)
Top Driver (Wins) – Robert Shepherd (183)
Top Trainer (Money) – Richard Moreau ($261,599)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Patrick Shepherd (59)
Fraser Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Bill Davis ($711,359)
Top Driver (Wins) – Bill Davis (139)
Top Trainer (Money) – Bill Davis ($584,387)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Bill Davis (110)
Georgian Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Scott Coulter ($295,799)
Top Driver (Wins) – Trevor Henry (37)
Top Trainer (Money) – Casie Coleman ($136,726)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Patrick Shepherd (16)
Grand River Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Trevor Henry ($428,620)
Top Driver (Wins) – Trevor Henry (78)
Top Trainer (Money) – Casie Coleman ($228,518)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (28)
Hanover Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Trevor Henry ($200,558)
Top Driver (Wins) – Bruce Richardson (33)
Top Trainer (Money) – Richard Moreau ($70,700)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (9)
Hiawatha Horse Park
Top Driver (Money) – Alfie Carroll ($114,226)
Top Driver (Wins) – Nick Steward (39)
Top Trainer (Money) – Ray Farmer ($31,396)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Ray Farmer (11)
Hippodrome 3R
Top Driver (Money) – Denis St Pierre ($264,651)
Top Driver (Wins) – Denis St Pierre (67)
Top Trainer (Money) – Eric Valiquette ($132,608)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Eric Valiquette (22)
Kawartha Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Gord Brown ($98,839)
Top Driver (Wins) – Gord Brown (33)
Top Trainer (Money) – Mark Winacott ($32,410)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Mark Winacott (12)
Inverness Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Redmond Doucet ($24,665)
Top Driver (Wins) – Redmond Doucet (40)
Top Trainer (Money) – Clare MacDonald ($13,950)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Walter Walker (20)
Mohawk Racetrack
Top Driver (Money) – Sylvain Filion ($3,191,053)
Top Driver (Wins) – Chris Christoforou (117)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jimmy Takter ($1,825,633)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Tony Alagna (41)
Northlands Park
Top Driver (Money) – Travis Cullen ($258,246)
Top Driver (Wins) – Travis Cullen (74)
Top Trainer (Money) – Travis Cullen ($275,718)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Travis Cullen (76)
Northside Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Mike Stevenson ($23,754)
Top Driver (Wins) – John Gerard Kennedy (33)
Top Trainer (Money) - Mike Stevenson ($17,108)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Heather Hawkins (20)
Rideau Carleton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Guy Gagnon ($550,504)
Top Driver (Wins) – Guy Gagnon (154)
Top Trainer (Money) – John MacMillan ($248,827)
Top Trainer (Wins) – John MacMillan (72)
St. John’s Racing & Entertainment Centre
Top Driver (Money) – Brad Forward ($4,772)
Top Driver (Wins) – Brad Forward (16)
Top Trainer (Money) – Scott Forward ($8,738)
Top Trainer (Wins) - Scott Forward (19)
Summerside Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Gilles Barrieau ($89,709)
Top Driver (Wins) – Jason Hughes (47)
Top Trainer (Money) – Earl Watts ($53,588)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jason Hughes (22)
Truro Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Clare MacDonald ($62,866)
Top Driver (Wins) – Ryan Ellis (55)
Top Trainer (Money) – Earl Watts ($45,538)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Danny Romo (24)
Western Fair Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Alfie Carroll ($703,587)
Top Driver (Wins) – Alfie Carroll (157)
Top Trainer (Money) – Victor Puddy ($272,637)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Victor Puddy (54)
Woodbine Racetrack
Top Driver (Money) – Sylvain Filion ($2,171,391)
Top Driver (Wins) – Jody Jamieson (133)
Top Trainer (Money) – Carmen Auciello ($1,022,394)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (65)
Follow the race for the 2015 national and track titles by clicking on the "Season Leaders," "Top Drivers at Canadian Tracks," or "Top Trainers at Canadian Tracks" links on Standardbred Canada’s statistics page.
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S to all and
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S to all and may the good lord keep all of you healthy in 2015... keep up the good work. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.