As the 2022 harness racing season hits the halfway point, Trot Insider provides an update on the national leaderboard for drivers and trainers.
While his fellow drivers have been hot on his heels throughout the first six months of the year, James MacDonald currently holds the top position on the leaderboard for both wins and earnings in Canada. The reigning Driver of the Year, who padded his totals with a five-win performance last night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, has won 191 races and his mounts have banked $3,574,777.
For wins, Travis Henry follows in second with 168 first-place finishes while Brett MacDonald holds a three-win advantage over Tyler Borth for third with 153 victories so far this year. On the earnings side, Doug McNair ($2,450,478) and Louis-Phillippe Roy ($2,437,889) and are neck and neck to complete the top three, with Sylvain Filion ($2,106,951) the only other driver in Canada to top the $2 million mark in earnings through the first half of the year.
Guy Gagnon continues to lead the way in the URDS category sporting a solid 0.487 average, with Pascal Berube (0.413) second and Phil Giesbrecht (0.409) third.
Canada's perennial leading trainer Richard Moreau has taken over the top spot in both the wins and earnings categories over early season leader Carmen Auciello. Moreau leads Auciello, 128-107 for wins. While Auciello was the first trainer to hit the million-dollar mark in seasonal earnings, Moreau reached the next million first, with his stable amassing $2,033,625 in Canada. Auciello's stable has banked $1,742,942. Kelly Hoerdt rounds out the top three for wins with 85 victorious starts while Jodie Cullen sits third for earnings with $850,850.
Hoerdt leads all trainers with an impressive 0.431 UTRS followed closely by Mandy Archer (0.429) and Tyler Nostadt (0.424).
**All statistics include Canadian starts from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022, with 130 start minimum for URS.
To keep tabs on the season leaders, visit Standardbred Canada's Harness Racing Statistics pages.