by Matthew Lomon

In a year of standout standardbred performances orchestrated by pacers, trotters, drivers and trainers, there was also no shortage of ownership successes throughout Ontario’s grassroots circuit.

Whether they are familiar names, new to the scene, or others in between, owners who topped the charts all had remarkable triumphs on the racetrack.

For the next three weeks, All Over Ontario will herald those who owned it, literally, in 2024.

First off the gate are the clubhouse leaders from Hanover Raceway (Robert Jenkins, Jr., William Burgess, and Jeffrey Kelly), Dresden Raceway (Cameron McQueen), and Georgian Downs (A1Stable).

The three ownership groups will be among the 24 honored in a special presentation alongside the best and brightest in Canadian harness racing at the 36th annual O’Brien Awards on Feb. 8.

Each awardee will receive a custom plaque and a complimentary ticket to the ceremony, as part of the Owner Recognition Program.

The full list of leading owners from the two dozen harness racing venues around Canada was unveiled on Jan. 3.

Our celebration officially gets underway with Hanover’s top trio.

Made up of long-time friends and racing partners Robert Jenkins, Jr., and Bill Burgess, as well as Jenkins’ nephew Jeff Kelly, the close-knit bunch paced all ownership groups at the half-mile oval with six wins from 24 starts.

Overall, their runners compiled a 6-4-5 line for $19,210 across the southwestern Ontario track’s short but sweet 2024 meet.

As Jenkins noted, Hanover helped provide the stroke of luck his team had desperately been searching for.

“To be honest, we really haven’t had a lot of luck, but we did have a lot of fun going on a little roll at Hanover’s past meet,” said Jenkins. “We are a great team because we are just three guys that love the business and love the animal. We also all know we are not going to get rich with the caliber of horses we own at the present time.

“Like everyone, we hope to have a good one someday, but until then, we will just love what we have.”

One horse that deserves lots of love for their efforts is 7-year-old pacer Century Havana.

The bay mare accounted for over half of her owner’s six Hanover tallies and landed on the podium in each of her six starts (4-1-1).

Jenkins, who trains Century Havana, also spent numerous tilts calling the shots from the race bike. However, the Cambridge, ON-based horseman is by no means willing to take credit for his capricious charge’s success.

That, he says, belongs to driver J Harris and her groom, and Jenkins’ better half, Kim Decker.

“I handed over the lines to J because I got frustrated with her,” Jenkins said with a laugh. “She would train like a superstar and go race the complete opposite. So, instead of her getting to me, I put J on her and he has done a great job.

“She can be pretty moody, but she and Kim have become pretty tight. She has grown on me too, and I have a soft spot for her now.”

As for Hanover the venue, Jenkins praised the staff, from the race office to the paddock, and horse people, for serving as a beacon of grassroots racing.

And they make a mighty fine hamburger, too.

“Hanover is a reminder of how the grandstands used to be full years ago,” said Jenkins. “It is a small community which seems to really embrace its harness racing, in turn, making it a great place to be.”

Grassroots racing also holds a special meaning for Dresden Raceway’s leading owner, Cameron McQueen.

The multi-talented trainer/owner set the tone with seven wins through 17 starts, banking $19,700 along the way. McQueen’s own also added seven second place finishes to compile a 7-7-0 record at Dresden.

“It’s a good feeling; I love grassroots racing,” said McQueen. “I love the Sundays where you actually go to the track and there’s a crowd. It’s enjoyable.

“I like racing for other people there too — obviously I want to win for myself — but I like going to those small grassroots tracks where there’s fans in the seats, and their handle might not be the greatest, but the people are showing up and it’s great to see.”

Unlike the Hanover triad, the London, ON-based horseman relied on five different horses to reach the top of the leaderboard.

The quintet included Blossom Onthebeach (two wins), Something Royal (two), Trident Seelster, Mister Rebbily A, and Vicious Aloicious (claimed for $9,500 following a 2¾-length score on May 26).

The ensemble also benefited from the steady presence of Dresden’s leading driver in 2024, Garrett Rooney, who regularly piloted for McQueen.

“He’s obviously the top guy there, so when you know you get to bring a good horse and you’re going to get the top driver there, it makes it a little easier every Sunday going to the track,” said McQueen.

Dresden was indeed a generous site for McQueen, who experienced multiple milestones at the half-mile track, including reaching the $1 million career earnings plateau with Blossom Onthebeach on June 16.

Less than one month later, 8-year-old pacer Journalistic cashed in with an exhilarating score in the Ken Houston Memorial – a one-mile pace in honor of the former NHLer who was a Dresden regular.

McQueen’s extraordinary run at the raceway was capped off with a four-win day on July 21.

Overall, the ascending horseman set new career highs across the board in 2024, netting 108 wins and $457,481 across 526 starts.

While support from those like Rooney and the people who work tirelessly in his barn no doubt played a prominent role in what was his most prosperous season to date, so too, did the folks at Dresden.

“The fans are awesome at Dresden,” said McQueen. “The staff were accommodating with adding the Lasix program this year. It made it easier knowing there was a place to put your horses when you ship in. The fans are great, because some of the fans there were owners of mine as well, so it was nice to win for them.

“Every race I won there, there were 20 people in the winner’s circle. There might not be 20 people at any other racetrack during the year, but we had 20 people in the winner’s circle every time we won. After the races you can go have a beverage, too. It was a great community to race in. Everyone helps each other out.”

Rounding out the inaugural edition of this three-week series is Georgian Downs’ leading owner, A1Stable.

Operated by one of Canada’s top drivers in Travis Cullen, who surpassed $20 million in lifetime driving earnings last season, A1Stable collected eight wins, six seconds, and two thirds.

Val Victorian, a 5-year-old pacer by Real Desire—Town Feather, shined in her only appearance at Georgian in 2024, recording a one-length decision with Cullen at the helm in a $9,500 contest for fillies and mares on June 2.