Ralph Annear etched his name into harness racing history with a successful career that spanned over 50 years in the heart of Canadian racing in the Maritimes.
The native of Montague, P.E.I has said he enjoyed a career in harness racing as a hobby, but his stats and resume prove successful. As a driver, Annear won 402 races and more than $820,000 with 1,488 starts. As a trainer, he won 290 races and amassed $1.2 million in purses from 1,201 starts, according to statistics available going back to 1992. He was deemed "Mr. Trot" for his success with trotters, including Maple Leaf Noble, who had won 27 straight races at the start of his career.
Annear's success comprised of numerous top performers, including the first trotter to breach two minutes in Island history, Maple Leaf Hawk.
His career concluded in 2020 and he had taken a three-year hiatus from the track, until early in 2025 when he attended Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park with residents of Gillis Lodge.
"It was great. I enjoyed it a lot," Annear, now 86 years old, told The Eastern Graphic. "I never thought I'd see any of those people again."
During his recent visit on Jan. 18, Annear toured the track and grandstand with moments of the past and present, including his own career, captured all around.
To read the The Eastern Graphic article in its entirety, click here.
(With files from The Eastern Graphic)