Trot Insider has compiled a list of Canada's 2016 leading drivers and trainers at racetracks across the country in recognition of their accomplishments.
For the fifth straight year, Sylvain Filion, 47, led all drivers in Canada for earnings. The resident of Milton, Ont., who was the WEG Circuit's top driver, steered winners of more than $7.59 million on Canadian soil. He scored his richest victory in the $661,000 Metro Pace with Beyond Delight and wrapped up another Lampman Cup-winning season with a driving triple during the $250,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals teaming up with Yaris Bayama, Warrawee Roo and Emoticon Hanover.
Filion is an O'Brien Award finalist, vying for his fourth title as Canada's Driver of the Year. He faces first-time nominee Bob McClure, who is Canada's 2016 win leader. The 26-year-old Elora, Ont. reinsman enjoyed a career-year, winning 576 races while earning driving titles at Flamboro Downs, Grand River Raceway and Georgian Downs.
Richard Moreau, 52, was the nation's leading trainer in Canada with his stable winning 256 races and earning more than $4.05 million in purses. For five years running, the resident of Puslinch, Ont. has campaigned the top-winning stable in Canada. Moreau was the leading trainer on the WEG Circuit and also topped the standings at Flamboro Downs and Georgian Downs. He won Western Fair's signature $150,000 Molson Pace with Evenin Of Pleasure and Flamboro Downs' $100,000 Ellamony with Sandbetweenurtoes. The three-time defending O'Brien Award winner has been nominated again for Canada's Trainer of the Year Award.
The top percentage driver of 2016 was Gilles Barrieau while Yves Tessier was the leader among trainers.
The 'Maritime Magic Man' Barrieau ended 2016 with a nation-leading 0.423 UDRS. The 52-year-old Saint John, N.B. reinsman earned 122 wins, 107 second-place finishes and 67 thirds from 481 starts in Canada. Barrieau was the regular driver of Invitional star D Gs Camme and multiple stakes winners including Jackson K Down, K D Overdrive and Woodmere Dreams. He won the Francis McIsaac Memorial Award for the fourth time in his career as top-winning driver of Old Home Week and ranked third overall in the Charlottetown Driving Park standings (88 wins).
Tessier posted an eye-catching 0.479 training average with 88 victories, 53 second-place finishes, and 40 thirds from 273 starts. The 64-year-old Laval, Que. horseman campaigned the leading stable at Hippodrome 3R (27 wins), ranked fourth at Rideau Carleton Raceway (54 wins) and was among the top 10 trainers for wins nation-wide. Among his stable stars were Coupe de L'Avenir champion Queen Elsa.
**All statistics include Canadian starts from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.
Century Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Travis Cullen ($926,195)
Top Driver (Wins) – Travis Cullen (197)
Top Trainer (Money) – Travis Cullen ($916,934)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Travis Cullen (187)
Clinton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Doug McNair ($73,512)
Top Driver (Wins) – Ryan Holliday & Nick Steward (21)
Top Trainer (Money) – Ciaran Morrison ($37,700)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jim Watt (11)
Dresden Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Tyler Borth ($75,308)
Top Driver (Wins) – Tyler Borth (29)
Top Trainer (Money) – Michael Rogers ($27,047)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Michael Rogers & Richard Griffiths (9)
Exhibition Park Raceway
Top Driver (Money) - Todd Trites ($9,737)
Top Driver (Wins) - Todd Trites (12)
Top Trainer (Money) – Dr. Mitchell Downey ($8,999)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Dr. Mitchell Downey (11)
Fredericton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Gilles Barrieau ($11,648)
Top Driver (Wins) - Gilles Barrieau, Dr. Mitchell Downey, Corey MacPherson & Todd Trites (3)
Top Trainer (Money) – Earl Smith ($7,294)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Dr. Mitchell Downey & Trevor Hicken (2)
Flamboro Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Bob McClure ($1,186,240)
Top Driver (Wins) – Bob McClure (245)
Top Trainer (Money) – Richard Moreau ($305,311)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (39)
Fraser Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Paul Davies ($501,477)
Top Driver (Wins) – Paul Davies (76)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jim Marino ($464,791)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jim Marino (41)
Georgian Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Bob McClure ($401,482)
Top Driver (Wins) – Bob McClure (66)
Top Trainer (Money) – Richard Moreau ($198,870)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (21)
Grand River Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Bob McClure ($462,472)
Top Driver (Wins) – Bob McClure (84)
Top Trainer (Money) – Bob McIntosh ($151,284)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Bob McIntosh (12)
Hanover Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Brad Forward ($135,572)
Top Driver (Wins) – Brad Forward (36)
Top Trainer (Money) – John Bax ($42,570)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jayne Walker (10)
Hiawatha Horse Park
Top Driver (Money) – Lorne House ($105,230)
Top Driver (Wins) – Lorne House (34)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jack Wray ($31,525)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jack Wray (13)
Hippodrome 3R
Top Driver (Money) – Louis Philippe Roy ($277,127)
Top Driver (Wins) – Louis Philippe Roy (58)
Top Trainer (Money) – Dany Fontaine ($157,297)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Yves Tessier (27)
Inverness Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Marc Campbell ($22,660)
Top Driver (Wins) – Colin Kelly (33)
Top Trainer (Money) – Marc Campbell ($14,859)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Mullins (17)
Kawartha Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Gord Brown ($102,995)
Top Driver (Wins) – Gord Brown (33)
Top Trainer (Money) – Murray Brethour ($38,855)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Dave Gibson (11)
Leamington Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Don Rankin Jr. ($52,404)
Top Driver (Wins) – Mark MacQuarrie (18)
Top Trainer (Money) – Gord McDonnell (41,860)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Gord McDonnell (13)
Mohawk Racetrack
Top Driver (Money) – Sylvain Filion ($5,183,144)
Top Driver (Wins) – Sylvain Filion (191)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jimmy Takter ($2,000,621)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (94)
Northlands Park
Top Driver (Money) – Phil Giesbrecht ($125,525)
Top Driver (Wins) – Brandon Campbell (18)
Top Trainer (Money) – Kelly Hoerdt ($146,462)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Kelly Hoerdt (14)
Northside Downs
Top Driver (Money) – Marc Campbell ($17,721)
Top Driver (Wins) – Gerard Kennedy (21)
Top Trainer (Money) - Clare MacDonald ($15,751)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Heather Hawkins (20)
The Raceway at the Western Fair District
Top Driver (Money) – Alfie Carroll ($1,219,449)
Top Driver (Wins) – Alfie Carroll (245)
Top Trainer (Money) – Victor Puddy ($358,119)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Victor Puddy (73)
Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at Charlottetown
Top Driver (Money) - Marc Campbell ($248,484)
Top Driver (Wins) - Marc Campbell (144)
Top Trainer (Money) – Marc Campbell ($104,116)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Jackie Matheson (64)
Rideau Carleton Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Guy Gagnon ($611,039)
Top Driver (Wins) – Louis Philippe Roy (152)
Top Trainer (Money) – Gerard Demers ($367,395)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Gerard Demers (93)
Summerside Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Marc Campbell ($94,808)
Top Driver (Wins) – Marc Campbell (39)
Top Trainer (Money) – Jason Hughes ($45,349)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Terry Gallant (18)
Truro Raceway
Top Driver (Money) – Gilles Barrieau ($64,071)
Top Driver (Wins) – Darren Crowe (40)
Top Trainer (Money) – Marc Campbell ($34,684)
Top Trainer (Wins) – George Rennison (40)
Woodbine Racetrack
Top Driver (Money) – Sylvain Filion ($1,675,998)
Top Driver (Wins) – Sylvain Filion (98)
Top Trainer (Money) – Richard Moreau ($1,320,386)
Top Trainer (Wins) – Richard Moreau (69)
Follow the race for the 2017 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.