Canadian Hall of Fame

Woodbine Entertainment Group chairman David Willmot, trainer Stew Firlotte and stallion Garland Lobell have been elected for induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Also elected were outstanding performers Glorys Comet and Armbro Omaha.



Willmot was elected in the Builders' category and was recognized for his efforts in helping the financially-trouble Ontario Jockey Club in the mid 1990s. Wilmot also built his Kinghaven Farms into one of Canadian's premier breeding and racing stables. Among his Standardbred interests are champions Cabrini Hanover and Southwind Allaire.



Firlotte has been involved in harness racing for more than 30 years. He started out by grooming horses in 1970 and six years later opened his own public stable in Canada. The initial $1,500 investment put up by Firlotte and his partners blossomed into a corporation that later included part ownership in Triple Crown pacing champion Ralph Hanover.



Garland Lobell, owned by the Garland Lobell Stable, won 14 races and more than $350,000 on the racetrack, but it is in the breeding shed where he truly excelled.



Following his racing career, the son of ABC Freight-Gamin Lobell distinguished himself as a top stallion in Quebec and the United States. In Quebec, he helped to improve the trotting mare stock and produced many North American and European champions including double millionaire Cameron Hall, Hambletonian runner-up Angus Hall, World Trotting Derby champion Andover Hall and North American champion Conway Hall.



To date, Garland Lobell's offspring have earned more than $46 million for an average of $75,770 per starter.



The outstanding accomplishments of Glorys Comet, marked by his longevity and success on the racetrack, made him one of Canada's greatest trotters of all-time. His racing career spanned 10 years and included 56 wins and earnings of $2,057,695.



Armbro Omaha won 11 of 32 races - including the Little Brown Jug, Messenger, Adios and Prix d'Ete - and more than $357,000 in purse earnings. When his racing career was replaced with a breeding career, he performed with the same impact he demonstrated on track and was a top sire until his retirement in 1992.

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