Mike Barrieau On Return To Driving

Published: July 4, 2008 10:45 am EDT

He hasn't driven in a pari-mutuel race in 15 years, but this morning Trot Insider spoke with pilot Mike Barrieau, who will be steering Longworth Legacy tomorrow at Exhibition Park Raceway.

"What can I say? I was bitten once again by the racing bug," Barrieau, 46, told Trot Insider.

After having grown up in the standardbred racing business within a family synonymous with success, Barrieau -- who is also a honed blacksmith -- found himself separating himself from the racing game, somewhat, in 1993.

"I work in industrial sales, but I'm still a hobby blacksmith by weekend," Barrieau explained. "I had been warming a few (horses) up on Saturdays and the bug just bit me again. From there, I decided that I had to get a horse again.

Mike, cousin of star driver Gilles Barrieau, said that now that his two sons Luc (15) and Patrick (10) have grown up some, there has been a little extra time to pay attention to some horses.

Barrieau will be steering his recent purchase, Longworth Legacy (PP1, M. Barrieau, 2-1), from the rail in Race 4 on EPR's eight-dash program.

"I bought the horse last fall. He's a seven-year-old Arcane Hanover gelding. He's the type of horse that would go out and win a couple of races for you a year. I knew he was for sale and wasn't selling. When his price came down even more, I bought him.

"He has some issues with his feet, so along with his trainer, Debra Kirkpatrick, and my good friend Serge Cormier, we've been able to get him going pretty well."

Though the gelding only posted two wins in 28 last year, he did hit the board 12 times. In just 16 starts in 2008, Longworth Legacy has tallied four wins, a second-place finish and a pair of thirds. In mid-April the gelding triumphed in 2:01.1 over EPR, just two-fifths of a second slower than his mark, which he took at four.

"My family and friends have been excited," Barrieau said about the comeback. "It's caused a lot of good-natured ribbing at the track."

Barrieau noted that he is looking to buy another horse and is interested in doing some catch driving if the proper opportunity appeared.

Click here to view the Saturday entries at EPR.

Tags
Have something to say about this? Log in or create an account to post a comment.