Mikes son, patrick, is also a dominating driver and trainerhis nephew, luc ouellette, is also a top driverhis favorite food is swordfishhis first car was a 1968 ramblerhis first win came at age 12 at a fair in northern montrealis such a boring person away from harness racing that he doesnt even like to vacationhas struggled with weight issues all his. Only north american racing statistics are shown, with all earnings expressed in us currency. Harness driver injured in spill the new york times. So, its fitting lachance will race against campbell one last time on july 30 in the legends day trot at clinton raceway. Since retiring from driving in 2014, hall of famer mike lachance is. John campbell, ron pierce and mike lachance are the leading money drivers among inactive reinsmen. Clinton, on harness driver mike lachance said hes raced against fellow hall of famer john campbell more times than anyone in the. Trotting association tweet freehold, ny mike lachance does not hibernate, it only seems that way. Michel lachance canadian horse racing hall of fame. Profile of trainerdriver sam beegle daily racing form. The hall of fame driver reflects on his stellar career, his epic 30year battle with john campbell and says retirement has given him the chance to spend lots of time with family. Not that there werent good, maybe even great drivers behind them, but these three stood out. Hall of fame driver mike lachance felt the need to separate different aspects of the sport when determining the importance of the man or woman behind the lines.
At the meadowlands, iron mike is also third alltime among the leading drivers in both wins and earnings. In 1992 he was the recipient of the rising star award from the united states harness writers association. Lachance arrived in new york in 1982 and soon supplanted carmine abbatiello as the king of the new york halfmile tracks. The lachance name is a familiar one to followers of harness racing, not only in north america, but around the world largely due to the enormous popularity of driver mike lachance. In 1986, he won 770 races, a single season record at the time. Click on a column heading to sort these 25 rows only. For the second consecutive year, lachance spent the majority of the winter and early spring away. Gilles lachance canadian horse racing hall of fame. The hambletonianyear winner driver best time total purse1967 speedy streak del cameron 2.
Sugarcane hanover beating mack lobell 3rd in the 1988 march of dimes trot at garden state park. But before his emergence, older brother gilles lachance distinguished himself as one of the best horsemen ever produced in canada, and mike will tell you that his older brother was a big reason he came so far in the. It is appropriate harness racing legend mike lachance made what he said will be his last parimutuel drive during the legends day trot on sept. Harness driver david dunckley remained in a coma in. Harness driver mike lachance said hes raced against fellow hall of famer john campbell more times than anyone in the sports history. After a 50minute conversation in which he reflected on all things past and present, lachance surmised that, i always say, if i ever fell out of an airplane, i would land in someones backyard and they would have a trampoline there that would break my. Mike lachance on the doorstep of a key milestone tuesday, april 28, 2009 by ken weingartner, harness racing communications, a division of the u. Also when always b miki went parked the mile and won the ben franklin 2016. Lachance has won most of the sports classic races including the 1994 hambletonian with victory dream and the 1996 hambletonian with horse of the year continentalvictory. Mike lachance won 12 7 day, 5 night during a yonkers doubleheader in.
Aug 08, 1999 the trainer ron gurfein and the driver mike lachance are considered the odd couple of harness racing, but the two men have combined to dominate the industry in recent years. Widely recognized as among the best drivers of all time, his outstanding career began in 1967 in. He has been inducted into both the united states and canadian harness racing halls of fame. Harness racing archives newyork historical societys bill. Yonkers raceway banned leading harness driver michel lachance.
With the drivers of that era, there was billy o, jc superstar and when he came over from new york, iron mike lachance. Dec 12, 2019 george napolitano jr harness driver download any further yields from research would be appreciated if reported, and passed along. Click on a link below to see the top 25 driverstrainers in that category. Schedule and results of major stakes races in 2001. Mar 11, 2018 john campbell, ron pierce and mike lachance are the leading money drivers among inactive reinsmen.
Jul 25, 2017 since retiring from driving in 2014, hall of famer mike lachance is enjoying his retirement by helping his son, pat, train horses at magical acres in new jersey. After a 50minute conversation in which he reflected on all things past and present, lachance surmised that, i always say, if i ever fell out of an airplane, i would land in someones backyard and they would have a trampoline there that would break. Harness driver remains in coma after spill may 19, 1986. The other driver, mike lachance, and both horses were unhurt. Lachance and herve filion are the only people to win harness tracks of americas driver of the year award at least three years in a row. Pp1 1 driver mike lachance redblkwht st 1630 w 11%p %s 11%udr.
Trackmaster pp 10line pdf description past performances owner name, location ml odds class change claiming price program number. George napolitano jr harness driver download any further yields from research would be appreciated if reported, and passed along. A quebec native, lachance followed his brothers, gilles, pierre and andre, into the harness racing business. The former canadian driveroftheyear notched up his 8,000 win at woodbine racetrack on friday october 10, 2008 behind the ian downey trained longbeach tuffy. More than thirty years later, that number had ballooned to just over fifteen thousand, making filion the winningest driver in the history of north american harness racing. Augustin, quebec is a retired harness racing driver.
Entering the stretch the first time, float on air, driven by dokey, went into a break, forcing the 9to5 favorite married man, with. Driver mike lachance enjoys retirement hoof beats youtube. Sep 07, 1984 the other driver, mike lachance, and both horses were unhurt. As the son of halloffame driver mike lachance, and the cousin of top. Hall of famer mike lachance stops by to discuss his successful summer stakes campaign at the meadowlands. Michel lachance harness racing wikipedia republished. Jul 25, 2017 hall of fame driver mike lachance has an interesting way of summarizing his time on earth, which is now being spent in blissful retirement. In overnights the horse is 90 percent of the battle, said lachance. From there, lachance began focusing on stakes racing and. The two highest handles in harness racing history, and the highest overnight purse structure ever offered at the meadowlands set the tone for the meet. Roosevelt raceway captured in photos is introduced u. Cams card shark gave john campbell his 10th million dollar win in the 1994 meadowlands pace. Living with a harness legend in the family harnesslink. Hall of fame driver michel mike lachance will be the.
As the son of halloffame driver mike lachance, and the cousin of top canadian reinsman luc ouellette, it comes as no surprise that patrick lachance is already making a name for himself in harness racing. Driver mike lachance is making up for 40 years of lost time and loving every second of it. Pat lachance one of north americas finest harnesslink. Michel mike lachance is a retired harness racing driver. Legendary lachance will battle campbell one last time. Lachance is known throughout harness racing as one of the alltime greatest drivers. Lachance, campbell set for one last battle harness racing. Since retiring from driving in 2014, hall of famer mike lachance is enjoying his retirement by helping his son, pat, train horses at magical acres in new jersey. Jul 16, 2017 the hall of fame driver reflects on his stellar career, his epic 30year battle with john campbell and says retirement has given him the chance to spend lots of time with family. Hall of fame driver mike lachance has an interesting way of summarizing his time on earth, which is now being spent in blissful retirement.
Victory dream took the hambletonian for mike lachance and ron gurfein, a first for each. Widely recognized as among the best drivers of all time, his outstanding career began in 1967 in quebec city. But before his emergence, older brother gilles lachance distinguished himself as one of the best horsemen ever produced in canada, and mike will tell you that his. The trainer ron gurfein and the driver mike lachance are considered the odd couple of harness racing, but the two men have combined to dominate the industry in recent years. Mike lachance on the doorstep of a key milestone harness. Mike lachance nears 10,000 wins standardbred canada.
Yonkers raceway banned leading harness driver michel. Legendary lachance will battle campbell one last time monday, july 17, 2017 from clinton raceway tweet clinton, on harness driver mike lachance said hes raced against fellow hall of famer john campbell more times than anyone in the sports history. Mike s son, patrick, is also a dominating driver and trainerhis nephew, luc ouellette, is also a top driver his favorite food is swordfishhis first car was a 1968 ramblerhis first win came at age 12 at a fair in northern montrealis such a boring person away from harness racing that he doesnt even like to vacationhas struggled with weight issues all his. His father is one of the alltime harness racing greats having. New york yonkers raceway banned leading harness driver michel lachance and six others thursday pending an investigation of a race last month that may have been fixed. Also this week the roosevelt raceway legends site added harness driver eddie lohmeyer to its list of roosevelt raceway driving legends that include billy haughton, stanley dancer, herve filion, buddy gilmour, mike lachance, benny webster, del insko and. By the age of 12 he was winning races at county fairs. See more ideas about harness racing, racing and horses. Also when always b miki went parked the mile and won. Roosevelt raceway archives newyork historical societys. May 04, 2009 lachance and herve filion are the only people to win harness tracks of americas driver of the year award at least three years in a row. Harness racing archives newyork historical societys. Mike lachance named prix dete grand marshal harness racing.
Mike weil, upi sports writer new york yonkers raceway banned leading harness driver michel lachance and six others thursday pending an investigation of a race last month that may have been. In 2004 miller would drive twoyearold trotting colt of the year ken warkentin 3,1. Coming from a small cattle farm in quebec, michel lachance became a leading driver at yonkers, roosevelt, and the meadowlands racetracks. Talk about the nitty gritty of different rigging or equipment, feeding and supplements, training techniques, looking for advice or input on problems they may be having with gait or behavior, etc. So, its fitting lachance will race against campbell one last time on july 30 in the. In stakes races the horse is about 80 percent of the battle. Legendary lachance will battle campbell one last time harness.
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