It was announced last week that revered driver Bill Gale will be part of the 2015 class that will be enshrined into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame this August. Gale has commented on the honour, humbly stating that he was not sure if he would make it into the hall.
In speaking with Dave Briggs for his column in the Guelph Mercury, Gale said that he is quite honoured with the accolade, but that he was not sure if he would ever be hall-bound.
"This was my third time nominated. I wondered if I was going to make it, but I was happy,” he said. “Anytime you can be recognized in that way is a great thing, but you kind of wonder if you're worthy of being in there when they start naming names."
Gale, 66 of Woodstock, Ont., was one of Canada’s leading drivers for a period that spanned the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Between 1982 and 1997, he recorded 16 consecutive $1 million+ seasons.
During a driving career that spanned over 30 years, Gale won 6,375 races, started 32,134 times and earned $42.1 million. In the fall of ‘91 at Pompano Park he won a pair of Breeders Crown Championships, as he guided King Conch to a World Record 1:56.2 win in the $300,000 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot and reined Three Wizards to an upset victory over Die Laughing and Artsplace in the $357,000 Breeders Crown for Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts.
In 1991, Gale was honoured with an O’Brien Award as Canada’s Driver of The Year following a season where he exceeded $3.2 million in purse earnings.
Gale said that the news of his upcoming enshrinement was "a great honour” and that “it's an achievement I'm proud of and not many people have."
In his discussion with Briggs, Gale discussed one horse, Sunset Warrior, in particular. The pair tasted victory in the Breeders Crown at Garden State Park in New Jersey in 1986. The win was Gale’s first Breeders Crown victory.
"It was such a big thing at the time for an Ontario-based guy to go to the States and win a race of that stature. I think they were going for $800,000 or so that night. It was a huge thing," Gale said. "I think that was the win that kind of pushed me into the spotlight a little."
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2015 Induction Ceremony will be hosted at the Mississauga Convention Centre on Wednesday, August 5, 2015.
Additional information about the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame may be found by clicking here.
(With files from the Guelph Mercury)
To anybody who ever watched
To anybody who ever watched Bill race there should be no doubt that he belongs in the Hall of Fame. The only question is what the heck took so long to put him in. Sad to see his career cut short by injury. Congratulations Bill. Sit back and enjoy the moment. You are most definitely worthy of the honour.