This week's Rewind is another edition of Picture Parade. Robert Smith has assembled a group of pictures from various time periods in the long past of harness racing. If you are not a picture 'guesser' it is hoped that you will enjoy seeing these "treasures" and perhaps even pick out something of interest.
The task at hand is for the readers to join in and attempt to name the person or persons shown in each photograph. All of this week's mystery people share one thing in common. Each one has a close connection to the Province of Quebec; most if not all were born there and also started their racing careers at some spot in La Belle Province. Just state the number and your best guess and send it along via the comment feature. 'Guessers' from all geographical areas are welcome!
1 - Who is this fellow; a star from the past?
2 - On the far left is Lucien Bombardier, racing secretary at Blue Bonnets presenting cheques to two drivers for their excellent performances during the 1957 season. Can you identify the two gents wearing matching driving suits? The fellow on the right was not born in Quebec but not too far west from the border and raced in Montreal for so many years that he qualifies as an "Also eligible" entrant. I can't help but wonder if they also received driving jackets as part of their award. (Harness Horse)
3 - The esteemed gentleman on the right is the Quebecer. Can you name him as he appears with famed racing official Ed Keller (centre) and U.S. driver Howard Britt at Bay State Raceway many years ago? (Hoof Beats)
4 - Who is this fine fellow amid a group of smiling faces in the winner's circle?
5 - Can you correctly identify this young driver receiving a trophy at Brandywine Raceway in Delaware?
6 - Famous enough to hit the front page of a Roosevelt program, he is shown sporting some pretty "major league" sideburns undoubtedly very much in style back then? Who is this homme?
7 - This very well-known driver goes back a long way. No longer with us, but can you name him?
8 - Who is this chap?
9 - This man was a fixture at the big Montreal tracks and elsewhere for decades. Can you name him?
10 - We know the track is Roosevelt, but who is the conducteur?
Quote For The Week: "Happiness is found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late." Credited to Robert Updegraff
ALSO ELIGIBLE LIST
These two fellows are on the "Also Eligible" list because they were not from Quebec but both very well known there. Can you identify them both? (Ottawa Citizen photo)
Lots of activity on this
Lots of activity on this week's pictures. The following were the correct answers. And yes that was Mr. Lucien Bombardier in number two.
#1 Normand Dauplaise
#2 Lucien Bombardier Marc Gingras and Percy Robillard
#3 Honorat LaRochelle
#4 Jimmy Larente
#5 Mike Guitard
#6 Lucien Fontaine
#7 Phillipe Dussault
#8 Denis Normandin
#9 Jacques Hebert
#10 Rejean Daigneault
Also eligible - Claire Smith and Ross Curran at Connaught Park
My thanks to Garth for supplying us with some special memories that many of these pictures brought to him. Also my apologies for not researching the birthplace of Mike Guitard. While it seems of French origin apparently he should have been listed on the "also eligible" list. I just hope his birthplace was near the Quebec border! My thanks also go out to his family for straightening me out on this; that picture was way too good not to make its way on the SC website. The readers are always helpful and I thank you.
#5 Mike Guitard, born in New
#5 Mike Guitard, born in New Brunswick, started at Greenwood.
1-Normand Dauplaise 2-Marc
1-Normand Dauplaise
2-Marc Gingras- Percy Robillard + Pierre is right: M. Bombardier
3-Honorat Larochelle
4-Luc Ouellette
5-Jacques Larente
6-Lucien Fontaine
7-Philippe Dussault
8-Denis Normandin
9-Jacques Hébert
10-Réjean Daigneault
Like most...except for A.E: Clare Smith and Bill Habkirk
I am quite sure you got them
I am quite sure you got them all right Hector but the one you missed no 8 I “think” is Pierre Touchette.
The first picture is Normand Duplaise. I first met Norman in 1982 I bought a horse off him by the name of Tramp that Herb Liverman owned. He was training horses for Herb and his father at the time. He was a very classy guy. I remember him coming to Greenwood for a driver challenge in the 80s. He had a large stable of horses and was a very good driver. Ross Curran, who is in the also eligible photo, his daughter Anne Curran was Norman Duplaise’s head trainer in the early 80s when I knew him.
The second picture is Marc Gingras, Yannick’s grandfather, and Percy Robillard. I think the year was 1954 at Richelieu Park. He was the leading driver and Percy was second and not showing in the picture is Harold McKinley who was third. It must have been in the fall because they had heavy leather coats on made in their colours. I was racing a horse one Sunday afternoon Blue Bonnets raceway in 1980. Marc Gingras wanted to talk to me about my dad Jack Gordon who had raced in Montreal for about 10 years and he died in 1970 at the age of 56. Marc couldn’t speak English and I couldn’t speak French so we got Garnet Stephens to be our interpreter. He stood between us and we had a good visit.
It was in the summer of 1961 at Richelieu Park in the afternoon around 2pm. My dad was letting me drive Maid Away C that night in my first ever horse race. I was cleaning the spokes on the wheels of the race bike. I wanted them shining. I wanted to look my best for my first drive in a real race. I see this guy walking towards me he stops and says you got that bike looking pretty good. He says my name is Lucien Fontaine, I am from this area. I am working for Clint Hodgins down in New York. I just came home to pick up my new car. He says do you want to have a look at it? I said sure. His car was a brand new white 2 door hard top Chevalier with red interior and red stripes down the roof “Wow”.
I remember in 1957 my dad was stabled beside Phil Dussault at Blue Bonnets. He was the private trainer for the Bourgon stable. They had two good horses that I remember, Senator Sprangler and Mr. Baldridge.
The also eligible picture is Ross Curran and Claire Smith. I heard that Ross and Claire never got along that well. But why would they. Rules are made not to be broken. Great pictures Robert and great memories for me. Thanks again.
The only one I know for sure
The only one I know for sure is #5 Mike Guitard
That is him winning the Battle Of Brandywine with Barons Boy
#2 Percy Robillard #4 Don
#2 Percy Robillard
#4 Don Larkin, and the winning horse Merrywood King looks like Greenwood Racetrack.
#9 Jacques Hebert.
Also, Ross Curran.
Also, Ross Curran.
#1 .....Normand Duplaise #2
#1 .....Normand Duplaise
#2 .....Marc Gingras and Percy Robillard
#3......Honorat LaRochelle
#4......Jim Larente
#5......Mike Guitard
#6......Lucien Fontaine
#7......Phillipe Dussault
#9......Jacques Hebert
#10.....Rejean Daigneault
Also eligible ...... Claire Smith and Ross Curran
1. Norman Dauplaise 4. Jimmy
1. Norman Dauplaise
4. Jimmy Larente?
6. Lucien Fontaine
10. Rejean Daigneault (excuse the spelling, who I believe won the last race ever run at Roosevelt Raceway)
(1) Norman Dauplaise (2)
(1) Norman Dauplaise
(2) Percy Robillard
(3) ?
(4) Jimmy Larente
(5) ?
(6) Lucien Fontaine
(7) ?
(8) ?
(9) Jacques Herbert
(10) Rejean Daigneault
Also Eligible Driver is Ross
Also Eligible Driver is Ross "Cowboy Curran"
#2 Think the driver on the right might be Percy Robillard
#9 Maybe Jacques Hebert
Robert, I am sure for Lucien
Robert,
I am sure for Lucien Bombardier, I know very well this gentleman. I hope to have at least 7 maybe 8. Thanks for the memory.
1. Jean-claude Martineau? 2.
1. Jean-claude Martineau?
2. Not Raymond Lemay on the left but Lucien Bombardier and Jean-Marc Gingras and
Percy Robillard
3. Honorat Larochelle
4. Jacques 'Jimmy' Larente
5. Luc Ouellette
6. Real Cormier ?
7. Philippe Dussault
8. Denis Normandin
9. Jacques Hébert
10. ????
Also. Claire Smith and Russ Curran
I believe #4 is Nelson White
I believe #4 is Nelson White
1.Norm Duplaise 2. Percy
1.Norm Duplaise
2. Percy Robilard
4. Jimmy Larente
5. Mike Guitard
6. Loosh Fontaine
10. Maybe Butch Dokey