Christmas baby Maxime Velaye already got his gift this year: a first training title at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres. Not bad for a horseman in his first year as a full-time trainer.

Velaye, who turns 28 on Christmas day, was approached early in 2015 by prominent Quebec owner Guy Corbeil to be full-time trainer of his 15-horse stable, previously overseen by Eric Valiquette, Quebec’s leading trainer in 2013 and 2014.

“I was in Ontario, working for (trainer) Ben Baillargeon and doing some driving at the smaller tracks,” said Velaye. “I had driven some horses for Mr. Corbeil when I was working (in Ontario) with Rene Allard, so we knew each other, but it was still a surprise to get the call.”

The move back to Quebec, after seven years in Ontario, meant putting aside the driving, for now. “I wanted to focus on training,” he said.

The results, at Rideau Carleton and Hippodrome 3R, were solid. Horses from the stable won 27 races in 107 starts this year and collected $174,219. Stable stars included the solid trotter Maximuscle and the Ponder filly Voodoo Charm, who beat Wanda Bayama by a nose in this year’s $65,000 Quebec Series final for three-year-old pacing fillies in Trois-Rivieres.

“Overall, the year went really well. It was actually one of my goals (to win the training title),” Velaye said. “I’m looking forward to next year as well. My two big guns – Maximuscle and Voodoo Charm – will be back, and we’ve got five babies."

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)