Braden Letourneau was introduced to harness horses by a ‘Hare’
by Chris Lomon
Family ties introduced Braden Letourneau to the harness racing world. Fascination with everything it offers made him want to stay.
As a kid growing up in White Bear Lake — a community of 25,000 defined by small-town charm and big-city attractions just 20 minutes from Minneapolis and St. Paul — Letourneau had little knowledge of standardbreds, the sport itself, or its equine stars.
What he did know, however, was that a family member had deep ties to the sport, someone well-known and respected in Minnesota racing circles.
“My great-uncle, Chuck Hare, he was a standardbred horseman on the fair circuit here in Minnesota,” Letourneau said. “He also had a track on the farm where he lived. When I was growing up, I met him and got to spend some great time with him. He was the one who opened my eyes to the sport and the horses.”
Serious health issues would eventually end Hare’s on-track racing career. On Dec. 31, 2015, after a six-year battle with cancer, he passed away at home surrounded by family.
Management and horsepeople at Running Aces, the five-eighths-mile racetrack in Columbus, MN, honored Hare and his contributions to racing. Letourneau was there for the ceremony.
“When he passed away, they had that memorial night for him at Running Aces and I was really moved by that,” Letourneau said. “So, that was my introduction to harness racing.”
Inspired by his uncle’s love of racing — and the kind words and stories shared by his contemporaries — Letourneau would eventually find his way to the racetrack, seven years after his passing.
“About four years ago, right about this time, I suppose, I was looking for a job and for something that would give me an introduction to equine sports medicine. I didn’t know where to go at first, but I knew my Uncle Chuck would be proud of me if I went to the racetrack and got a job there.
“I reached out to a friend, Kennedy, who was working for Nick Roland. I asked her if she knew anyone and she introduced me to [trainer/driver] Luke Plano and [stable manager] Nikki Hudson. I started with them in a full-time role and then the following year, I cleaned their stalls. Last year, it turned into more of a full-time thing again.”
This year, his racetrack role is a question mark – for understandable reasons.
“I don’t know what my time at the racetrack will bring in 2026,” Letourneau said. “I have three years left until I graduate college, so that part of my life has intensified.”
That doesn’t mean Letourneau is walking away from the Minnesota racing scene – not by a long shot.
During his time with Plano and Hudson, he was introduced to Dr. Laura Critchett, a backside veterinarian at Running Aces.
“Luke and Nikki have always supported me and my endeavors, including the veterinary side of things,” Letourneau said. “So, I kind of headed all the vet work in our barn. Whatever Luke wanted done, I was given the opportunity to be there and be around all of that.”
Support for Letourneau and his academic aspirations has been extensive.
“All the trainers — the majority of the ones who I ask — will allow me to see their horses and just learn,” he said. “I am so grateful for that. To be supported by so many people in an industry that I had no formal introduction to — other than asking a friend — is amazing.
“I shadow with Laura, here and there, so I get to see standardbreds through that. I try to keep connected to horses who I have a special bond with.”
The trio of Handsome Harvey, Ridonkuloso, and Ain’t She Special fall into that category.
Handsome Harvey, who won his 28th career race for Team Plano this past December, gave Letourneau his first win as a groom. The son of Special Forces (MN) delivered the milestone victory on June 27, 2023, at Running Aces.
“It was a fun day,” Letourneau said. “I had been working with Luke and Nikki for over a month. Handsome Harvey had been going in and out of the top classes for quite a while. That was the first time I got to go to the winner’s circle, so that was very special.”
Another winner’s circle moment that July stands as Letourneau’s most treasured.
Ridonkuloso, a bay son of Voracious Hanover bred by Van Otterloo Stables, recorded a three-length victory with Plano in the sulky.
“We had worked and worked on that horse,” Letourneau said. “He had some issues and we were able to bring him back. It took a lot of hours and care for it to happen. When he won, we were just over the moon.
“It was a $4,000 claimer. So, he’s not a top-class horse, but he gave everything he had, and we were so happy for him. That was so cool.”
So, too, was the performance put on by Ain’t She Special on Sept. 15, 2023, also at Running Aces.
The daughter of American Ideal, a $13,000 purchase at the 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, became something of a game-changer for Letourneau.
With fall just over a week away and a return to the classroom imminent, Letourneau hoped to see Ain’t She Special win before leaving for college – nearly a five-hour drive northwest of the racetrack.
The schedule wasn’t cooperating.
“She had enough sass and personality to just hook you in,” he said. “She was special. It was my last day and I had to go back to school at [The University of Minnesota] Crookston. She was going to race the day after I was to leave. I found enough time to get back there to see her race, in the hopes I could see her win.”
Leading throughout, Ain’t She Special was soon confronted by two rivals, her advantage shrinking with each stride.
A photo finish produced a victory – by a scant head.
“It was the smallest of margins,” Letourneau said. “But she did it. And it was a very, very special win.”
Those recollections, coupled with his genuine love of racing and horses — along with his admiration for those who work in the sport — have left a lasting impression on Letourneau.
His ties to racing will undoubtedly evolve as he pursues his degree, a full-time career, manages the 20 acres he calls his own, and finds time for his crafting hobby.
That doesn’t mean he won’t remain involved in some capacity.
“I have three years left and I will be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine,” Letourneau said. “My focus at school is cattle, but I love equine sports medicine. It is one of things I can’t seem to get away from. I don’t know how [my racing connection] is going to look. If I am not in the industry in the sense of veterinary medicine, I sense that it will be in racehorse ownership.”
He may even bring others along.
“I am a huge advocate in educating my peers in why harness racing is a good thing,” he said. “The horses are bred to do this and the care level they get is second to none. I have seen it first-hand and I am so lucky to be part of it.”
A world that Uncle Chuck would be proud to see him in.
