Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame announces 2008 inductees

The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced its 2008 inductees.  Four horses and four people will be honored at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, August 28 at the Mississauga Convention Centre.

The class of 2008 features Standardbred horses Peaceful Way and Real Desire. The people inductees include Quebec-based breeder Pierre Levesque and the late Cliff Chapman, former publisher of The Canadian Sportsman.

Peaceful Way is the richest Canadian-bred trotter of all time with $3.2 million(C). The daughter of Angus Hall-Royal Bait is a four-time O’Brien Award winner.  She was born, bred and raised in Ontario to longtime owner Angie Stiller of Stonebridge Farms, in Arva, Ont.

Peaceful Way gained worldwide attention at two when she dominated the Grand Circuit, winning nearly $1 million and an O’Brien award as top divisional filly.

In 52 lifetime starts Peaceful Way took a lifetime mark of 1:51.4, was competitive with both males and females, won numerous stakes events including the Maple Leaf Trot, Breeders Crown, Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final, Armbro Flight and a leg of the Classic Series.

Trained by Dave Tingley and owned by Stiller along with Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld, Sam Goldband and the Goin My Way Stable, Peaceful Way was also honored in 2007 with a trackside presentation at Mohawk Racetrack, celebrating her career and announcing her retirement fittingly at the Maple Leaf Trot.  Woodbine Entertainment Group also renamed the Oakville Trot “The Peaceful Way Stakes” in her honor.

Real Desire is a horse that came from humble beginnings, but went on to become one of the leading money-earning pacers in history and a successful stallion for owners Karin Olsson Burgess, Robert Burgess, Perretti Farms and Brittany Farms.

Trained by Blair Burgess, Real Desire enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign, winning eight of 10 starts, establishing a world record of 1:50.4 and earning nearly a half-million dollars.  Some of his stakes wins during his 2-year-old year included the Champlain and Nassagaweya Stakes.

During his sophomore season, Real Desire captured the $1 million Meadowlands Pace, the Breeders Crown and Hoosier Cup to push his season’s bankroll over $1.6 million. He capped his brilliant career during his 4-year-old season with another Breeders Crown triumph and other Free For All wins that ultimately led to Horse of the Year honors on both sides of the border.  He was the fastest pacer of the year in his 4-year-old season (1:48.2) and retired to stud with career earnings in excess of $3.3 million, ranking him the third richest pacer in history at the time.

Real Desire has also been successful as a stallion, siring the winners of over $7.1 million including North America Cup and Little Brown Jug winner Tell All. Tell All was voted co-winner as Canada’s Horse of the Year for 2007 following his $1.5 million season which made him the sport’s richest pacer of the season. Real Desire’s first two crops make him a “top five” sire with 2 and 3-year-old earnings in 2007 totaling over $5 million.

The late Cliff Chapman Jr.  wore many hats during his illustrious and colorful career in the harness racing industry.  He was the past owner and publisher of the Canadian Sportsman, a legal bookmaker, bid spotter for hundreds of horse sales, and race secretary at numerous Ontario tracks.

During his career, he also served as race secretary, paddock judge, and trainer.  Chapman was the first racing secretary at London’s Western Fair Raceway when it opened in the 1960s.  He also acted as racing secretary on the Great Western Race Circuit in Manitoba, was the director of racing at Sun Parlour Raceway in Leamington, Ont., and was the paddock judge at Florida’s Pompano Park.

Quebec based breeder Pierre Levesque, founder, owner and operator of Angus Farm, named for the Aberdeen Angus cattle raised there before the horses, will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Angus Farm would grow into one of Quebec’s largest breeding operations, at one time home to five stallions and almost 100 mares. Many successful horses and champions have been bred at Angus Farms.

Amour Angus, one of Angus Farms’ most successful broodmares foaled numerous champions and winners of over $3.5 million.  From 13 foals, she had nine starters including Canada’s Horse of the Year in 1994, Emilie Cas El, a winner of over $450,000, Conway Hall ($818,000), Angus Hall ($830,000) and Andover Hall ($875,000). 

Angus Hall has sired winners of over $33 million including Peaceful Way, Canada’s richest trotter of all time, and Majestic Son, a winner of $1.9 million and an O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2006. Andover Hall has sired the winners of over $12.9 million including Pampered Princess, a winner of over $1.7 million and two-time O’Brien Award winner

The gala Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held on Thursday, Aug.  28, at the Mississauga Convention Centre. Guest speaker will be noted actor Nicholas Campbell, who played the lead role for CBC-TV’s long-running series Da Vinci’s Inquest. (edited from Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame)

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