Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing

Trainer of the Month
February 2006

Bill Robinson

Bill Robinson, 59, of Hagersville, Ontario, is one of the most successful horse trainers the Standardbred industry has ever known.

His original career choice, as an unhappy piece worker in a local Firestone factory, led him to seek refuge at the racetrack. In a 20-year span Robinson went from owning a piece of a $1,500 claimer to recording the first $10 million training year in the history of the sport – and then duplicating that feat two more times!

Bill Robinson

In that time frame he's raced a long list of outstanding performers, from Dream Maker to the first Pacing Triple Crown winner in 14 years, Western Dreamer. Robinson was the first trainer to win two $1 million pacing events in harness racing, and has since done it three more times. He joined an elite group of trainers to win two Crown titles in a single year in 1995 with Panifesto and John Street North. His other Crown winners were Expensive Scooter and Jay’s Table.

A staunch believer in racing from the farm, Robinson dominated the two most competitive circuits in North America, the OJC and The Meadowlands, at his leisure. With backing from Ontario cattle baron Peter Heffering, Robinson successfully invaded the U.S. stakes program, coming up with Merrie Annabelle winner Santa Royal, and powerhouse Horse of the Year Precious Bunny in 1991.

RobinsonRedRiverHanover

                    Bill Robinson and driver Luc Ouellette pose
                    with Red River hanover after winning the
                    North America Cup June 23, 2002 at Woodbine.

Robinson has had many successful assistant trainers (Nat Varty, Carl Conte, Duane Marfisi, George Plyley) who now campaign their own prominent stables.

His 42 Breeders Crown entrants have resulted in more than $2 million in earnings and four trophies. His latest addition to his mantel came in 1998, when Canadian-based Jay's Table was sent on a victorious mission to the Meadowlands to win the Open Mare Pace. The two top sophomore pacing colts of 2002 – Red River Hanover and Mach Three, who split the two $1 million events for their group – both hail from the Robinson stable.

2002 was a year to remember for Robinson as he trained horses to earnings in excess of $10.4 million and captured many of the sport's major pacing classics including the Pepsi North America Cup, Confederation Cup, Little Brown Jug, Meadowlands Pace, and Provincial Cup. His roster of champions included Canada's Three-Year-Old Colt Pacer of the year, Art Major., who won 20 of 31 races and earned over $1.8 million while winning such prestigious events as the Breeders Crown, Confederation Cup, Tattersalls, Bluegrass and Cane Pace. He was awarded Canada's prestigious O'Brien Award as Trainer of the Year for 2002.