Champion trainer Richard Moreau's large racing stable is shifting back into high gear after a generalized two-month layoff, and his feeling is that the break did everyone some good.
"I think it refreshed the horses and the staff. It wasn't go-go-go all the time," said Moreau, 56, last month named winner of the O'Brien Award as outstanding Canadian trainer for an eighth consecutive year.
Moreau, who won 237 races and $3.6 million in purses in 2020, has about 50 horses in the barn for the resumption of harness racing in Ontario this week, about 20 less than during high season. Eight were entered in the first two programs this week at The Raceway in the Western Fair District and five for the opening card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
"It feels good to be returning to the routine, although it wasn't easy to prepare without a firm date to focus on to be ready," said Moreau, who kept active with regular walks on the concession roads around his farm.
"I'm thankful I had a farm (in Puslinch, Ont.) to keep me occupied. But it wasn't the same without racing. In the same way that living near a railroad makes you oblivious to the sound of trains, I was really aware of the silence where you normally hear trailers moving in and out."
During the pause, Moreau said his phone calls and text messages dropped from an average of about 30 a day, to three. "The ideal would be somewhere between the two," he said with a laugh.
He doesn't have any specific goals for the 2021 campaign, hoping only that the momentum of the previous decade can extend for another year. Horses like Tokyo Seelster, Grandma Heidi and the hulking Wheels On Fire are the backbone of a stable consisting more of seasoned grinders than all-stars or promising rookies.
Tokyo Seelster, winning at Mohawk
Some observers were surprised Moreau and his blue-collar stable got another O'Brien ahead of co-finalist Ben Baillargeon and neighbour Luc Blais, who had several stakes winners and career years for earnings in 2020.
"I'm happy to win, especially for its recognition of our staff," he said. "You feel you're getting the job done, year after year. But I certainly don't expect to win all the time."
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)