by Melissa Keith

Trainer Victor “Vic” Puddy is approaching his 20,000th race as a trainer, and reached $20 million in purse winnings on March 20 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Mountain, ON horseman recorded his first training win on April 10, 1992 at Connaught Park, when Darrell Coville drove pacer Armbro Halifax to a 10-1 upset.

On Friday (May 16), Puddy was feeling optimistic about a new horse he had just acquired via Preferred Equine.

“We just got him,” said the trainer, describing Soaring Now (p, 3, 1:48.1s; $587,631), a 6-year-old son of Mach Three purchased for $75,000 for partners Gordon MacDonald of Ottawa, ON, Christopher Boland of St. John’s, NL, Howmac Farms Ltd. of Brookfield, PEI, and Limco Inc., Chateaugay, QC. “He hasn’t even arrived yet.

“I haven’t decided if he’s coming to Toronto yet. I haven’t decided to take him to Mohawk or Rideau. He was a winner Sunday [May 11 at Harrah’s Philly], and he won the race before that, too [May 3 at The Meadowlands].”

Deciding among different options for the latest addition to his 28-horse stable is a regular process for the 60-year-old horseman.

“I’m at Manestreet [Stables, in Rockwood, ON],” he said. “Bill Manes is the owner. He’s got six or seven different trainers here. There’s a half-mile training track.”

Puddy told HRU he usually keeps 15 or16 horses at Manestreet, plus another 12 to 14 at Ottawa’s Rideau Carleton Raceway.

“I was at Connaught Park and Rideau starting out, but I always had horses around my whole life,” he said of his training career. “It’s probably been 40 years now.”

His longevity in harness racing is partially inspired by a brother who lost the opportunity for a life in the sport.

“I lost a brother, Tim Puddy; he used to train and drive,” Vic said. “He worked for Paul Barkley and Johnny Sheldon, probably at Blue Bonnets and Rideau. He was 12 years older than me. He drowned in a swimming pool.”

Vic took a slightly different route to becoming a professional trainer.

“I had horses with my sister and her husband, but I was away playing ball a lot and kind of fell into it [owning and training],” he said. “I hung around a lot of people: Orl Coville, Lee Crozier, Bill Simser, and Norm Jones, at Rideau and Connaught Park.”

“When I got going good, Barrie Murray from Shawville, QC, he used to give me a lot of horses to train, back in the day,” Vic said. “He got me going pretty good. He still goes to Rideau Carleton. His brother is Bryan Murray, who was the GM of the Ottawa Senators, and Barry’s son is Timmy Murray, who was a scout for many years and the GM of the Buffalo Sabres. I think he still has the odd horse racing in the states, I’m not sure.”

Vic said maintaining partnerships is essential to his success.

“I’ve had the same owners for 30 years plus,” he said. “Limco’s been with me for over 30 years. Of course, some owners pass away, and some get sick and get out of the game.”

The veteran trainer said he was looking forward to the 2025 stakes season, winning hopefully, more at Mohawk.

“We have some nice stakes horses this year,” he said. “The 3-year-olds came back good: Rising Interest [2, 1:55.1s; $65,433], Lady Cafe Au Lait [p, 2, 1:53.2s; $56,303] in the SBOA final [last night, May 17] at Mohawk, Darlenes Angel [p, 2, 1:55.3s; $27,585], who was second last week in her second start back, she’s in Monday [May 19] night in the first [2025 Ontario Sires Stakes] Grassroots at Mohawk, Sadies Delight [p, 3, Q2:02f; $7,427] is in at London Monday [May 19]. The 3-year-old trotting filly, Howmac Glider [3, 2:00.4f; $10,601], she was second in London the other night. Bettors Zone [p, $1,009] is at Rideau right now. He’ll be there another start or two, and then go on to Toronto, hopefully.”

Vic said he is training one Maritime-bred and four Ontario-bred 2-year-olds this season.

“We have a My MVP colt, a Big Jim colt, and a Cattlewash colt, and the Bulldog Hanover filly,” he said.

The latter, named Isle B Bulldogbeth, was a $32,000 purchase at the 2024 Atlantic Classic Sale in Crapaud, PEI, becoming the first offspring of Bulldog Hanover sold in Canada.

“That’s why I went,” said Vic, in reference to the yearling sale. “I figured that she would go around that price.”

Isle B Bulldogbeth is currently training at Rideau Carleton.

“She trained really good [Friday] morning,” he told HRU. “She trained in 2:03. I’ve also got a Maritime-bred filly, Howmac Dixie, and she trained in 2:03. Now she’s going to Brendan Mullen’s. He lives in Tracadie, PEI.”

Vic said his horses would be largely relocating to Manestreet Stables soon.

“There are less at Rideau, because they’re going to close the backstretch soon,” he said. “The 2-year-olds will be going soon, one to the Maritimes at the start of the week, and the other four going to Toronto in two or three weeks.”

Losing stabling on the Ottawa track’s backstretch poses a challenge for local owners and trainers, he added.

“I’m in the barn every day at Toronto, and Jenn, Andrea and Brittany Smiley run the barn in Ottawa,” Vic said. “I was there last week… They do a good job. The backstretch [stabling] makes it easier for someone like me. It’s just too bad, but the biggest problem is, a lot of [other local] places closed up their barns or sold them.”

“They see enough of me now,” he said with a laugh of the track in Campbellville, where his focus would be with the stakes season ramping up. “We’ll have to race more Grand River, Georgian Downs, and also Mohawk.”

Not a man to wax sentimental about developing raw talent, Vic said he was always happy to acquire a ready-made racehorse.

“My favorite part is when they start and they win, and they make money, especially when you own part of them, and most of them, I do,” he said.

Watch for Soaring Now at Mohawk soon. Vic called the stallion “a Saturday night horse” for the big track, and a possibility for the 2025 Gold Cup and Saucer this summer at Red Shores Charlottetown.

While Vic has won two Gold Cup consolations (as trainer of Livinthebeachlife in 2023 and Two Step Boogie in 1998), he said the Gold Cup and Saucer remained the one race he wants to win above all others.

“When it gets in your blood, it’s hard to stop,” he said of his years in the sport. “I just stayed around. I have great help and great owners, and that makes your job really easy.”