Michel "Mike" Lachance (born December 16, 1950 in St. Augustin, Quebec) is a retired harness racing driver. Widely recognized as among the best drivers of all time, his outstanding career began in 1967 in Quebec City. At retirement, he had won 10,253 races and purses totalling $187,710,149.[1] He has been inducted into both the United States and Canadian Harness Racing Halls of Fame.[2][3]
Michel Lachance
Born
(1950-12-16)December 16, 1950 St. Augustin, Quebec, Canada
National Driving Championships and Triple Crown winedit
The holder of leading driver titles at major racetracks in Canada and the United States, Lachance began driving harness horses as a young boy and in 1967 began driving professionally at age seventeen in Quebec City, Quebec. He went on to win driving championships at Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal, Quebec. His success in Canada led to a move to the major tracks in the New York City area in 1982. In 1984 he became the first driver to win 200 races in a single year at both Roosevelt and Yonkers Raceway. In 1988 Lachance made the Meadowlands Racetrack his base. At the mecca of American harness racing he would rank in the top five drivers for fifteen straight seasons.[4]
Lachance was the U.S. National Champion in wins for four straight years from 1984 to 1987. In 1986 he set a new North American record with 770 wins. On July 14, 1995, he set a new record for most wins on a single race card with eight.[5] Among his many major career wins were five in the prestigious Little Brown Jug, four Hambletonian Stakes and three North America Cup races. In 1997 he won the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers with Western Dreamer, the only gelding of any breed to ever win a Triple Crown.[6][7]
Post driving careeredit
Retired from driving, Lachance and his wife Micheline live on their rural farm property in Millstone Township, New Jersey. Still involved as an owner of Standardbred racers, his sons Patrick and Martin have careers in harness racing.[8]
Referencesedit
^Harnesslink.com May 9, 2012 article titled "Living with a harness 'legend' in the family" Retrieved October 3, 2016
^U. S. Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame bio for Michel Lachance Retrieved October 3, 2016
^Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame bio for Michel Lachance Retrieved October 3, 2016
^New York Historical Society Museum & Library, Bill Shannon Biographical Dictionary of New York Sports bio for Mike Lachance Retrieved November 3, 2016
^New York Times October 11, 1997 article titled "Western Dreamer Wins Triple Crown" Retrieved September 26, 2016
^Western Dreamer history at the Kentucky Horse Park Retrieved October 3, 2016
^Standardbred Canada – December 19, 2015 article titled "Lachance Retires From Driving" Retrieved September 27, 2016
December 09, 2023
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Michel Mike Lachance born December 16 1950 in St Augustin Quebec is a retired harness racing driver Widely recognized as among the best drivers of all time his outstanding career began in 1967 in Quebec City At retirement he had won 10 253 races and purses totalling 187 710 149 1 He has been inducted into both the United States and Canadian Harness Racing Halls of Fame 2 3 Michel LachanceBorn 1950 12 16 December 16 1950St Augustin Quebec CanadaCareer wins10 253Major racing winsConfederation Cup Pace 1988 2003 Meadowlands Pace 1988 2003 Prix d Ete 1988 1989 Merrie Annabelle Filly Trot 1988 1992 Adios Pace 1989 1996 2006 Canadian Trotting Classic 1989 Gold Cup Invitational Pace 1989 U S Pacing Championship 1989 1990 2004 William R Haughton Memorial Pace 1989 1990 1997 2000 2003 2004 Hambletonian Oaks 1990 New Jersey Classic Pace 1990 1998 1999 2001 2003 Dexter Cup 1991 2002 2004 North America Cup 1992 1998 2001 Tattersalls Pace 1994 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2 Valley Victory Pace 1995 Art Rooney Pace 1996 1997 Woodrow Wilson Pace 1996 1999 Max Hempt Memorial Pace 1997 Milton Stakes 1997 International Stallion Stakes 1998 1997 2004 2009 Canadian Pacing Derby 2000 Metro Pace 2001 Elegantimage Stakes 2002 2005 Breeders Crown wins Breeders Crown Open Pace 1985 1989 1991 1997 2000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace 1986 1994 2000 Breeders Crown 3YO Colt amp Gelding Pace 1989 1994 1996 1998 Breeders Crown 3YO Colt amp Gelding Trot 1990 1992 2000 Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Trot 1992 Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Pace 1993 2006 Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Trot 1995 2001 2006 Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Pace 1996 Breeders Crown 2YO Colt amp Gelding Pace 1997 2000 2006 Breeders Crown 2YO Colt amp Gelding Trot 2003 2009 Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Pace 2006 U S Pacing Triple Crown wins Little Brown Jug 1988 1989 1994 1997 2001 Cane Pace 1987 1997 1998 Messenger Stakes 1988 1997 U S Trotting Triple Crown wins Hambletonian Stakes 1994 1996 1999 2003 Yonkers Trot 1991 1992 1996 Kentucky Futurity 1991 2012 2013 Racing awardsHTA Driver of the Year Award 1985 1986 1987 U S Harness Racing Driving Champion 1984 1985 1986 1987 HonoursCanadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 1993 United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame 1995 Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame 2001 Significant horsesBettor s Delight B J Scoot Camluck Continentalvictory Goalie Jeff Magical Mike Matt s Scooter Shady Character Victory Dream Western Dreamer T K s SkipperNational Driving Championships and Triple Crown win editThe holder of leading driver titles at major racetracks in Canada and the United States Lachance began driving harness horses as a young boy and in 1967 began driving professionally at age seventeen in Quebec City Quebec He went on to win driving championships at Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal Quebec His success in Canada led to a move to the major tracks in the New York City area in 1982 In 1984 he became the first driver to win 200 races in a single year at both Roosevelt and Yonkers Raceway In 1988 Lachance made the Meadowlands Racetrack his base At the mecca of American harness racing he would rank in the top five drivers for fifteen straight seasons 4 Lachance was the U S National Champion in wins for four straight years from 1984 to 1987 In 1986 he set a new North American record with 770 wins On July 14 1995 he set a new record for most wins on a single race card with eight 5 Among his many major career wins were five in the prestigious Little Brown Jug four Hambletonian Stakes and three North America Cup races In 1997 he won the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers with Western Dreamer the only gelding of any breed to ever win a Triple Crown 6 7 Post driving career editRetired from driving Lachance and his wife Micheline live on their rural farm property in Millstone Township New Jersey Still involved as an owner of Standardbred racers his sons Patrick and Martin have careers in harness racing 8 References edit Harnesslink com May 9 2012 article titled Living with a harness legend in the family Retrieved October 3 2016 U S Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame bio for Michel Lachance Retrieved October 3 2016 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame bio for Michel Lachance Retrieved October 3 2016 New York Historical Society Museum amp Library Bill Shannon Biographical Dictionary of New York Sports bio for Mike Lachance Retrieved November 3 2016 Meadowlands history Retrieved October 3 2016 New York Times October 11 1997 article titled Western Dreamer Wins Triple Crown Retrieved September 26 2016 Western Dreamer history at the Kentucky Horse Park Retrieved October 3 2016 Standardbred Canada December 19 2015 article titled Lachance Retires From Driving Retrieved September 27 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Michel Lachance harness racing amp oldid 1181675849, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
