Trot Insider has compiled a list of the leading drivers and trainers at racetracks across Canada through the 2022 harness racing season.
Coming off his first O'Brien Award in 2021, James MacDonald topped the Canadian leaderboard among drivers again in 2022. His 450 wins and $9.8 million-plus in purses earned on Canadian soil led the nation by a sizable margin, and the Guelph, Ont. resident appears poised to take home another Keith Waples Driver of the Year Award at the 2022 O'Brien Awards in February.
Earnings-wise, Louis-Philippe Roy and Doug McNair joined MacDonald as the only three drivers with more than $6 million in purses last year. Fourth in Canada in 2021, Roy finished in second with $6,955,413 in purses. McNair was third best in 2021, and the 2022 O'Brien Award finalist was third ($6,877,336) once again.
Travis Henry ranked second in Canada with 337 wins on Canadian soil in 2022, with Travis Cullen (330) rounding out the top three.
On the UDRS ledger, Guy Gagnon of Gatineau, Que. topped both the Canadian and North American standings for the second straight season. His 0.443 UDRS was the best among Canadian drivers with more than 260 starts, and it was also the best among drivers in North America for drivers with 500 or more starts.
Brandon Campbell (0.404) and Marc Campbell (0.397) completed the top three in those categories in Canada, while finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in North America.
Once again a finalist for Canada's Trainer of the Year, Richard Moreau posted arguably his best season to date in 2022. His 331 wins and personal best $5.2 million-plus in purses were best in the nation. This sweep of the top spots for Moreau marks the Puslinch, Ont. resident's seventh consecutive season atop those leaderboards.
Also second in 2021, Carmen Auciello ($2,919,967) was next best with multiple O'Brien Award finalist Shawn Steacy ($2,843,239) completing the top three on the Canadian trainer side.
Jodie Cullen edged out Auciello for second spot among trainers with 182 wins, three better than Auciello (179).
Marc Campbell and Guy Gagnon also scored highly in the UTRS standings among trainers with 260 or more starts. Campbell boasted a 0.436 average, best in Canada for 2022. Gagnon was not far behind with a 0.425 UTRS, followed by Mandy Archer (0.392).
The top UTRS trainer in North America with between 10-260 starts in 2022 was Chris Lancaster of Airdrie, Alta. His stable sizzled this past season, sporting a 0.509 UTRS.
(All statistics include Canadian starts from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2022. Minimum 260 starts for URS.)
Century Downs
Top Driver (Money): Brandon Campbell ($789,794)
Top Driver (Wins): Brandon Campbell (93)
Top Trainer (Money): Nathan Sobey ($547,826)
Top Trainer (Wins): Kelly Hoerdt (43)
Century Mile
Top Driver (Money): Philip Giesbrecht ($257,714)
Top Driver (Wins): Philip Giesbrecht (32)
Top Trainer (Money): Nathan Sobey ($149,510)
Top Trainer (Wins): David Kelly (19), Trevor Williams (19)
Clinton Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Travis Henry ($93,388)
Top Driver (Wins): Travis Henry (24)
Top Trainer (Money): Nick Gallucci ($36,790)
Top Trainer (Wins): Mike Horner (9)
Dresden Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Garrett Rooney ($122,152)
Top Driver (Wins): Garrett Rooney (36)
Top Trainer (Money): Lindsey Kerr ($21,960)
Top Trainer (Wins): Cameron McQueen (7), Lindsey Kerr (7)
Exhibition Park Raceway
Top Driver (Money): David Dowling ($35,941)
Top Driver (Wins): Todd Trites (11)
Top Trainer (Money): Earl Smith ($25,735)
Top Trainer (Wins): George Rennison (9)
Flamboro Downs
Top Driver (Money): Brett MacDonald ($923,458)
Top Driver (Wins): Brett MacDonald (131)
Top Trainer (Money): Richard Moreau ($475,062)
Top Trainer (Wins): Richard Moreau (69)
Fraser Downs
Top Driver (Money): Brandon Campbell ($990,499)
Top Driver (Wins): Brandon Campbell (123)
Top Trainer (Money): Jim Marino ($855,714)
Top Trainer (Wins): Jim Marino (99)
Georgian Downs
Top Driver (Money): Brett MacDonald ($324,001)
Top Driver (Wins): Brett MacDonald (45)
Top Trainer (Money): Richard Moreau ($307,674)
Top Trainer (Wins): Richard Moreau (38)
Grand River Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Tyler Borth ($267,979)
Top Driver (Wins): Brett MacDonald (43)
Top Trainer (Money): Gregg McNair ($173,465)
Top Trainer (Wins): Jodie Cullen (16)
Hanover Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Jason Ryan ($103,475)
Top Driver (Wins): Jason Ryan (29)
Top Trainer (Money): Blake MacIntosh ($41,419)
Top Trainer (Wins): John Kennedy (11)
Hiawatha Horse Park
Top Driver (Money): Garrett Rooney ($174,781)
Top Driver (Wins): Garrett Rooney (42)
Top Trainer (Money): Lindsey Kerr ($82,125)
Top Trainer (Wins): Lindsey Kerr (22)
Hippodrome 3R
Top Driver (Money): Pascal Berube ($434,614)
Top Driver (Wins): Pascal Berube (102)
Top Trainer (Money): Francis Richard ($181,249)
Top Trainer (Wins): Sylvain Tremblay (30)
Inverness Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Redmond Doucet ($40,038)
Top Driver (Wins): Redmond Doucet (34)
Top Trainer (Money): Walter Walker ($15,586)
Top Trainer (Wins): Zach Mullins (13)
Kawartha Downs
Top Driver (Money): Reg Gassien ($140,973)
Top Driver (Wins): Reg Gassien (40)
Top Trainer (Money): Thomas Riley ($59,849)
Top Trainer (Wins): Thomas Riley (13)
Leamington Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Garrett Rooney ($95,123)
Top Driver (Wins): Garrett Rooney (30)
Top Trainer (Money): Cassidy Schneider ($48,332)
Top Trainer (Wins): Cassidy Schneider (14)
Marquis Downs
Top Driver (Money): Tyler Grundy ($34,757)
Top Driver (Wins): Tyler Grundy (11)
Top Trainer (Money): Jacqueline Grundy ($32,449)
Top Trainer (Wins): Jacqueline Grundy (10)
Miami Fair
Top Driver (Money): Blake Piwniuk ($110,374)
Top Driver (Wins): Blake Piwniuk (31)
Top Trainer (Money): Travis Ellis ($137,244)
Top Trainer (Wins): Travis Ellis (41)
Northside Downs
Top Driver (Money): Mark Pezzarello ($32,728)
Top Driver (Wins): Ryan Campbell (24)
Top Trainer (Money): Ian MacNeil ($17,514)
Top Trainer (Wins): Martin Bates (18)
The Raceway at the Western Fair District
Top Driver (Money): Tyler Borth ($996,022)
Top Driver (Wins): Tyler Borth (146), Travis Henry (146)
Top Trainer (Money): Cassidy Schneider ($320,597)
Top Trainer (Wins): Tyler Nostadt (50)
Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park
Top Driver (Money): Marc Campbell ($411,876)
Top Driver (Wins): Marc Campbell (148)
Top Trainer (Money): Marc Campbell ($221,917)
Top Trainer (Wins): Marc Campbell (66)
Rideau Carleton Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Guy Gagnon ($1,034,300)
Top Driver (Wins): Guy Gagnon (179)
Top Trainer (Money): Victor Puddy ($528,173)
Top Trainer (Wins): Mandy Archer (96)
Summerside Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Corey MacPherson ($165,420)
Top Driver (Wins): Ken Murphy (42)
Top Trainer (Money): Marc Campbell ($88,025)
Top Trainer (Wins): Earl Watts (18)
The Track On 2
Top Driver (Money): David Kelly ($104,675)
Top Driver (Wins): David Kelly (34)
Top Trainer (Money): David Kelly ($83,987)
Top Trainer (Wins): David Kelly (23)
Truro Raceway
Top Driver (Money): Paul Langille ($79,047)
Top Driver (Wins): Paul Langille (40)
Top Trainer (Money): Paul Langille ($64,868)
Top Trainer (Wins): George Rennison (40)
Woodbine Mohawk Park
Top Driver (Money): James MacDonald ($8,868,343)
Top Driver (Wins): James MacDonald (400)
Top Trainer (Money): Richard Moreau ($4,236,899)
Top Trainer (Wins): Richard Moreau (202)