Ten inductees joined the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame as part of the induction ceremony that took place Thursday night at the Mississauga Convention Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
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The standardbred class of 2010 is headlined by racehorse Mister Big, the second richest pacer of all time. He is joined by the outstanding broodmare Classic Wish along with trainer Robert McIntosh, builder R. Peter Heffering and A Worthy Lad in the Veterans category.
The thoroughbred inductees include Belmont Stakes winner Victory Gallop, along with Lady Angela, one of the most influential dams in breeding history, and multiple stakes winner Victorian Era in the Veterans category. They join Builder Mel Lawson and West Coast trainer/jockey Frank Barroby.
Mister Big, a son of Grinfromeartoear, has been one of the most consistent and successful performers in the sport. With career earnings of over $4 million, he is the second richest pacer of all time. This multiple Dan Patch and Nova Award winner won all the major races in his division as a five-year-old and paced 18 miles in 1:49 or lower. From 85 career starts, he has 34 wins, 20 seconds and 11 thirds. He is owned by Joseph Muscara of Huntingdon Valley, PA, and is standing his first season as a stallion at Tara Hills Stud Farm in Port Perry, Ont.
"Most of us here tonight are in the horse racing business," said Joe Muscara, Jr. "We're also in the entertainment business. We're not in business if we don't entertain. And Mister Big was an entertainer. The Pinskes did a great job developing the horse. He did everything right on and off the track. I've never known a horse that enjoyed his work as much as him.
"I'd like to thank my dad for racing this horse for three seasons and keeping him on the track. Not many people would do that. Next month I'll see him in Australia and I'll tell him what a great job they did in Canada in his honour. Thank you."
Classic Wish, a daughter of Armbro Emerson, won over $436,000 during her racing career and has excelled as a broodmare. From 11 foals, she has produced two millionaires including Bettors Delight, a winner of over $2 million and No Pan Intended, a winner of $1.6 million. Her average earnings per foal are in excess of $608,000. Bred by David Lemon of Komoka, Ont., Classic Wish is now owned by Winbak Farm of Chesapeake City, MD.
"I would like to say thank you to the committee for selecting Classic Wish," said Joe Thomson of Winbak Farm. "I would also like to congratulate the other inductees, especially Bob McIntosh and Peter Heffering. They are real leaders in the sport and deserve it. I think the mare pretty much said it all. She came to us in 1997 and got in foal right away. She is a perfect citizen. When the time to select yearlings comes around we know the sale managers will always be after her babies. It's real fun to be associated with a horse like that.
"As she goes forward she will live a perfect life at the farm," Thomson added. "And when she passes she will have a grave next to greats like the dam of Northern Dancer and the dam of Nihilator."
Robert McIntosh, of Windsor, Ont., is a four-time O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Trainer of the Year and is the leading trainer in the Breeders Crown with 15 championship trophies to his credit. He has trained over 3,562 winners and horses to earnings in excess of $78 million. Among the lengthy list of champions that McIntosh has trained over the years are North American Horse of the Year winners Staying Together and Artsplace.
“This is an unbelievable honour. Not many kids have their dreams come true like mine did. It's a long way from Wheatley, Ont., that's for sure,” said Bob McIntosh. “I'd like to thank my partners and owners for being loyal to me over the years. My wife Patti for sticking with me and staying through all the highs and lows. My sons, Rob and Shawn, brother Doug..it means a lot to have them all here.
“My dad Jack got me into harness racing and instilled in me the love of the horse and love of the game,” McIntosh added. “With me, the name McIntosh comes into the Hall of Fame, as well. It means the name will forever be tied to the standardbred racing game. I would really like to thank everyone for being here and thank the Hall of Fame for voting me in.”
R. Peter Heffering, of Port Perry, Ont., has a tremendous list of accomplishments in the standardbred industry. He has found his way to the winner’s circle for many of the sport’s premier stakes events and he’s campaigned many notable horses including Precious Bunny, a winner of over $2 million and a member of the Hall of Fame. In 1996, Heffering and his son, David, opened Tara Hills Stud Farm in Port Perry, Ont., and it has risen to become one of the most successful stallion stations in Canada. Heffering has bred such top level horses as Bunny Lake, a winner of over $3 million and Precious Delight, a winner of over $1.3 million. Heffering has also served on numerous organizations in the standardbred industry, such as the Board of Directors of Standardbred Canada, Woodbine Entertainment Group and the Hambletonian Society.
“It’s an honour to be selected,” said Peter Heffering. “It is truly overwhelming, I’m getting to the stage where you go to the supermarket and pick out green bananas and hope to be around long enough to eat them as they ripen. It has truly been a great ride. I take pride in and hope we have raised the bar for breeding. We are very proud to have standing at our farm Hall of Fame inductees Mister Big and Classic Wish.
“There are many businessmen and women here tonight, and as you know you are only as good as the team you work with,” Heffering added. “My family and I appreciate all the efforts of our team, who are here tonight. I’d like to thank a few very special people. My wife, and best friend, April. She’s very involved and knowledgeable. If there’s a problem to be solved she will get it done. I’d also like to thank my son, David, and his wife, Nora. Without all their help I wouldn’t be standing on the podium tonight.”
“As I stand here there are some serious issues the industry has to deal with,” Heffering added. “I’d like to end with a quote. Focus on finding the solution or forfeit your right to complain. Thank you for the honour bestowed on me this evening.”
The Worthy Bowl trotter A Worthy Lad was undefeated in his racing career of 30 starts and earned over $446,000 while dominating Ontario Sires Stakes events. He also sired winners of $2.5 million from 43 foals. A Worthy Lad was bred by Dr. Joseph Johnston of Oldcastle, Ont., and Ross Johnston of Sombra, Ont., and was owned during his racing career by Dr. Johnston before being shipped overseas to Sweden where he was sold.
“I'd like to thank the Committee,” said Dr. Joe Johnston. “I'm very humbled and proud. I want to also thank Randy (Fritz), he had all the pressure on him. I want to thank everyone involved with the horse and my family, and congratulate all the inductees. Thank you.”
Victory Gallop was bred by Toronto’s Ivan Dalos of Tall Oaks Farm and foaled at Joanne Clayton’s Darrowby Farm in Loretto, Ont. The bay colt by Cryptoclearance-Victorious Lil, by Vice Regent, never raced in Canada. He was sold for $25,000 at the fall yearling sales in Kentucky. Winner of two minor stakes races at two and a second-place finish in the Laurel Futurity, the colt blossomed after being acquired by Prestonwood Farm. Trained by Elliott Walden, Victory Gallop won the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby before second place finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Victory Gallop then thwarted Real Quiet’s bid to become the first winner of the Triple Crown in 20 years with a nose victory at Belmont. The colt was a stakes winner for owners Jack, Art and Jr. Preston in 1999 and won an Eclipse Award as the Champion Older Male Horse.
"We have owned many great horses and won many great races, but this is the only horse we ever had and ever will have that is a campaigner," said Art Preston. "This horse was one of the few that could participate in every Triple Crown race and never finish worse than second. Victory - I feel his spirit here today."
There's not a day that he didn't show up to work," said trainer Elliott Walden. "He loved to do his work, he loved to pose for the cameras and he loved to lay down. For anybody who has had a good horse, they don't just give you a living, they give you a lifestyle."
Lady Angela’s effect on the breeding history throughout the world was firmly established when the daughter of Hyperion foaled a colt by Nearco. His name was Nearctic, the sire of Northern Dancer, whose offspring would dominate breeding and make E.P. Taylor and Windfields Farm the leading global breeders of stakes winners. Northern Dancer’s prolific sons include Danzig, Nijinsky II, Storm Bird, Sadler’s Wells and Vice Regent.
“First of all, I would like to thank the team from the University of Guelph for the tribute,” said Judy Mappin. “My father set out to buy a great mare. Lady Angela was a great mare. She was an equine aristocrat. She stems from some of the greatest names in history. I thank you all very much.”
Victorian Era dominated stakes racing in Ontario in the 1960s for owner Allen Case and HOF trainer Louis Cavalaris, Jr. The son of Victoria Park won 18 stakes races, was Horse of the Year, a three-time champion, and unfortunately ineligible to run in the 1965 Queen’s Plate when an eligibility payment was not made when he was two.
“Victorian Era, he's the closest thing to a perfect horse I ever had,” said trainer Lou Cavalaris, Jr. “He never had a bad day. He was just a gem.”
Mel Lawson, 87, of Hamilton, Ont., and Jim Dandy Stables were involved in the breeding and racing of quality horses for almost 50 years. His Sovereign Award winners were Eternal Search, who won the award three times, Let’s Go Blue and Ginger Gold. His horses have won 46 stakes races.
"On behalf of the family I'd like to thank you for the honour,” said Mel’s daughter, Dana Dodamane. “We're very proud of you, dad. Thank you."
Frank Barroby, 66, dominated racing on the prairie racing circuit as a jockey, winning titles in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C., and was second in Canada in 1965. Three times he was the leading trainer at Hastings Park in Vancouver. He is the first B.C.-based trainer to be elected to Canada’s HOF. Barroby was elected to the BC Thoroughbred Hall of Fame in 2009.
"I am so honoured and can hardly believe it,” said Barroby. “Thank you people for being here. It's such an honour."
Please join Standardbred Canada in congratulating the newest members to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.