On a night of glitz and glamour two Wellington County residents took home some of the most prestigious awards in the horse racing industry.
On Feb. 3, Standardbred Canada announced the winners of the 2017 O’Brien Awards at the annual gala in Mississauga.
Richard Moreau of Puslinch won his fifth consecutive Trainer of the Year award and Doug McNair of Guelph-Eramosa took home his first O’Brien Award for Driver of the year.
McNair’s father, Gregg McNair, was also nominated in the Trainer of the Year category.
The awards, which were established in 1989, are given out to the best in harness racing and are named in honour of Joe O’Brien, “an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame,” states Standardbred Canada.
O’Brien passed away in 1984.
Moreau, originally from Quebec, has a 50-acre horse-training facility in Puslinch.
“I’m just happy,” he told the Advertiser.
Moreau posted 277 victories in 2017, with more than $3.7 million in purse earnings. He led all other trainers in Canada.
“I am very grateful to be able to compete in that circuit,” he said.
Moreau got into the sport because his uncle was a jockey in Montreal.
“My neighbour used to take me to the track to see the races,” he said.
He was enrolled at CEGEP (a publicly funded pre”university college) in Montreal, but left to follow his horse training passions.
“[I was] in the race track in Montreal back then – and I never did anything else after that,” he said.
“I live in the back stretch for a little bit,” he added with a laugh.
In 2018, Moreau is hoping to surpass $50 million in career purse money for the horses he has trained.
What makes a good trainer? Moreau said it starts with passion.
“I don’t mean only horse racing, but anything you do; if you like it, it’s always easier,” he said.
“And then perseverance.”
One of the horses Moreau trained, Sandbetweenurtoes, received the O’Brien award for Older Pacing Mare of the Year.
McNair, one of Sandbetweenurtoes’ drivers, took home the Driver of the Year O’Brien Award. He was nominated once before, but this was his first win of the prestigious awards.
“It felt great; this is definitely one of the toughest awards, if not the toughest award, to win in Canada,” he said.
“It means a lot.”
McNair captured the top spot for earnings in 2017, with more that $5.9 million in purse money in Canada. In all of North America, McNair brought home 325 wins and over $6.5 million in purse money.
“I had a really good winter, and the summer came around and I got a lot of good stakes horses to drive,” he said.
“It just keeps rolling and just keeps getting … better and better all year. A lot of the times it doesn’t last all year.”
Along with Sandbetweenurtoes, McNair was a regular driver for Stay Hungry, the winner in the two-year-old pacing colt division, and for Bettors Up, the three-year-old pacing filly of the year.
“It was a good night. It was nice to see everyone dressed up like that and it was nice to win,” McNair said.
“Three of the horses I drove all year … they ended up winning awards; it was a really good night.”
He congratulated Moreau on winning Trainer of the Year, even though Moreau was up against his father.
“That was no surprise. [Moreau’s] numbers were so much bigger than the rest of the trainers,” he said.
“They’re both great trainers, though.”
McNair said he is hoping 2018 will bring him more success.
“You just got to keep on the same pace. I’m off to a big year again, getting a lot of good drives and stuff,” he said.
He’s hoping to win the North America Cup in the future. The next cup will be held at Mohawk Raceway on June 9.
“Smaller tracks, like ours, have the unique opportunity to provide a training ground for drivers, a place where their skills and careers literally take shape right before your eyes,” said Kelly Spencer, marketing manager at Grand River Raceway in Elora, which is frequented by McNair and Moreau.
“Fans of local harness racing take great pride in having watched Doug McNair’s career transformation in real-time, from a humble start to being recognized as the nation’s best.
“And as a track, we’re immensely proud of him, too.”
Spencer said the stables of both Moreau and Gregg McNair employ many local people and generate business in the local industry.
“Their outstanding operations have a real impact on our local agricultural economy,” she said.
“Both work tirelessly to maintain excellence year over year, and our community is fortunate to have both in our backyard.”
