Take the CLASSY route to the winner's circle
TRAINERS
TRAINERS
The Horse People Of Classy Lane
The men and women who have elected to condition their horses at Classy Lane Training Centre are among the very best in the business. Several O’Brien Award winners and Hall of Famers train horses over our track who have won the top echelon stakes across North America. We are proud they have decided to train here.
List of Services
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Tony Beaton Despite two lockdowns, Tony Beaton enjoyed his best career as a Standardbred trainer in 2020. His top performers included stakes winner Rose Run Vintage, a winner of close to $300,000 to date, Bet On Becky who was three for three in OSS action and four for five last season and consistent performers Best Keepsake, Saratoga Blue Chip and Ring Of Kerry. He finished third on the OSS trainers’ list as well.Tony Beaton
The native of Port Hood, Nova Scotia, came to Ontario 20 years ago to work for Rod Hennessy. At the time he thought it was a stop gap on his way to a full time career but the move has proven permanent and successful. -
Mike Bishop For more than 20 years Mike Bishop has been a consistent trainer on the Ontario scene and beyond and at the conclusion of the 2020 season his stats show more than $5.3 million banked.Mike Bishop
Some of his better known performers include the $700,000+ winner Shezarealdeal, millionaire Big Tom as well as top distaffer Rons Girl and Western Paradise.
Mike’s 2020 project was the pacer Talbot Romeo who overcame a near fatal accident and being blind in one eye to return to the racetrack under his patient guidance. The son of Roll With Joe won his second start in more than two years in late December at Woodbine. -
Tim Cherwaiko Tim Cherwaiko’s career in horse racing began as a caretaker for well known trainer John Burns back in 1981. After establishing his own stable, Tim has been a consistent conditioner with one of his top students being Cool Guy, a trotter who took in over $320,000 through more than 100 lifetime starts.Tim Cherwaiko
Tim also trained the pacing mare Seda Solombre who swept the Niagara Series at Woodbine in 1997 and established a stakes record at the time. This past season Tim trained the Archangel trotter Archies Star who finished second in three Ontario Sires Stakes events. -
Chris Christoforou Chris Christoforou has been one of Canada’s top drivers for more than two decades. He’s been named Canada’s driver of the year four times, the first coming in 1999 and the most recent in 2014. Chris followed in his father, Charalambos’s, footsteps into the harness racing world and now his daughter, Emma, is following in his footsteps as a trainer. Some of the top horses Chris has driven include Earl, Astreos, Peaceful Way, Remember When, etc. His lifetime stats to date include more than 6,600 wins and close to $120 million in purses.Chris Christoforou
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Meg Crone Even with a reduced number of race dates, trainer Meg Crone enjoyed her best season in 2020 as her charges earned in excess of $400,000. At the end of the year her trotting mare Scorched Romance captured two legs of the Ontario Harvest Series at Mohawk.Meg Crone
Meg, who worked for a number of notable trainers before branching out on her own, operates her stable alongside partner Anthony Haughan. The couple actually met at Classy Lane Stables when Meg moved to Ontario from New Jersey. -
Jack Darling An O’Brien Award winner as trainer of the Year in Canada, Jack Darling has been one of the leading trainers of trotters and pacers in North America for many years. His list of standout performers include such stars as Northern Luck, St Lads Popcorn, Gothic Dream, Diamond Dawn, Low Places, Twin B Champ and the list goes on.Jack Darling
Well known for his abilities with young horses, Jack’s 2020 season saw the star pacing colts, three-year-old Beaumond Hanover ($432,000) and two-year-old Bulldog Hanover ($248,000) compete for top billing. One of the most stalwart supporters of harness racing, Jack has co-ordinated many fund raisers and has been awarded the Lloyd Chisholm Memorial Award as well as the Unsung Hero and Good Guy Awards by USHWA. -
Amanda Fine The daughter of long time trainer Marty Fine, Amanda as just completed her second year as a full time trainer, as she started in May of 2019. From a relatively small stable, her numbers are impressive with 148 lifetime starts to date for more than $420,000 in earnings.Amanda Fine
The young conditioner has a soft spot for Highland Mowgli who overcame a number of health issues to earn $74,000 and win two OSS events last year at two. Amanda owns the Archangel son with his breeder, Mary Clark of Highland Farm. Mary also owns the now three-year-old Somebeachsomewhere colt HIghlandbeachsbest who Amanda trained to winnings of $140,000 during his debut season which included a Metro elim victory. -
Carl Jamieson Carl’s induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013 is indicative of his career in the sport. The Maritime native is well known for his ability to spot young talent and cultivate it in horses and people as his son Jody has been one of the industry’s leading drivers for several years.Carl Jamieson
The pinnacle of Carl’s career came in 2011 when his star Up The Credit captured Canada’s richest harness race, the North America Cup, with Jody in the sulky. A multiple O’Brien Award winner, Carl’s other standouts have included Santanna Blue Chip, Warrawee Needy, Appleoosa Hanover, Elegant Killean and Banner Yankee. -
Rob Jenkins Rob has been a long time trainer in Ontario with his pupils competing at many tracks throughout the province. This past season he raced the six-year-old pacer Windsong Grayson.Rob Jenkins
Career wise Rob has close to 300 victories and over $1.2 million in earnings with his best season coming in 2002 with more than a quarter million in purses won. -
Martin Lachance Martin Lachance hails from harness racing royalty with his father being Hall of Famer Michel Lachance, one of the most talented drivers to ever lift the lines. His brother is talented trainer Pat Lachance. Martin wasn’t initially going to train horses; he has a degree in Psychology and social work, but he returned to his roots and started to work for trainer Ben Baillargeon before starting his own stable.Martin Lachance
To date his charges have made 160 trips to the winners’ circle for earnings just shy of $2 million. One of his most consistent performers in recent years is the $622,000 winning trotter Wild And Crazy Guy. -
Dan Lagace Dan Lagace has trained on the Ontario circuit for several years and has been based at Classy Lane for the past few seasons. He’s known for horses such as Destinys Magic, Watermelonwine, and Keystone Maddie.Dan Lagace
The stable was well represented in 2020 by the Sunshine Beach miss All Day Sunshine, a winner of over $200,000 in her career to date as well as OSS winners Sportsfire and Take Control. -
Paul MacDonell Not only is Paul MacDonell one of the best harness drivers of all time, he’s also one of the nicest. Inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2020 Paul’s stats include the remarkable achievement of earning more than $1 million in purses for 33 straight years.Paul MacDonell
Paul has been associated with a myriad of talented horses but the one who stand outs is the incomparable Somebeachsomewhere. Over his long career Paul has captured virtually every stake possible thanks to incredible performers like Invitro, Admirals Express, Village Jiffy, Bigtime Ball, Elusive Desire, Laddie and Village Connection. Paul has become more focussed on the training side of the sport in recent years. -
Roger Mayotte One of the most successful and well respected trainer/drivers in Canada for more than four decades. Roger’s most recognizable racehorse was the $2.1 million winner Escape The Wind who he trained and drove throughout his eight year career competing with the upper echelon of pacers.Roger Mayotte
Other top performers include Cammibest, Take A Look and Kingsbridge. This past season Roger enjoyed success on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit thanks to the filly trotters Princesspartypants and Modern Mass. As a trainer Roger has more than $12 million earned while his driving career has netted him $54 million to date. -
Scott McEneny Over the course of his long and successful career Scott McEneny has had many top horses but the one he’ll always be remembered for is the great Bettors Delight. A winner of more than $2.5 million, many stake races and awards, the horse dominated on the track and has been just as successful in the stallion ranks since his retirement.Scott McEneny
With purses earned in excess of $17.5 million, Scott’s recent top performers include last year’s multiple stakes winner Warrawee Vicky, as well as Big Thong, Bettors Up, Putnam Romeo and several others. -
Dave Menary Dave Menary has always said the horse that put him on the map in racing was the great Hes Watching. Purchased for a mere $3,000, the horse would go on to become one of the fastest horses in racing and earn more than $1 million.Dave Menary
Menary has also shown he’s adept at conditioning trotters as proven by millionaires Sintra and Charmed Life. Dave’s starters have won more than 800 races and taken in over $20 million in purses. -
Chantal Mitchell Chantal Mitchell’s stable has been red hot the past two years as it hoovered close to the $1 million mark in earnings both seasons with $961,000 in 2020 and $855,000 the previous year.Chantal Mitchell
Chantal’s stable star over the last few years is multiple stakes winner Alicorn ($673,000), the O’Brien Award winner as two-year-old pacing filly of the year in 2019. Another highlight of her 2020 season was taking over the training on the great Party Girl Hill (15 for 16 last year) for her Fan Hanover starts at Mohawk in which she was victorious. One of her promising pupils going into 2021 is Control Heaven, who earned $55,000 last year at two. -
Tony O'Sullivan A native of New Zealand, Tony O’Sullivan came to Canada in 1999 and has been proving himself as a learning trainer ever since. After working alongside other trainers, Tony’s first major win came with Breeders Crown victor Susies Magic.Tony O'Sullivan
Other top performers to learn from Tony include millionaires Alsace Hanover and Drop The Ball along with O’Brien Award winner Beyond Delight, multiple OSS winners Muscle Baby Doll, Mayhem Seelster and Youre Majestic. Tony’s career earnings will surpass $30 million very shortly. -
Bill Rosene Bill Rosene has been involved in the harness racing world for many years and got back into training in 2021. Partnering with his brother Leonard and specializing in claiming, Bill’s recent starters include A Boy Named Suuzz, Monty Mono, Rays Kredit and Yaris Seelster.Bill Rosene
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Ben Wallace Ben Wallace has excelled at several facets of the Standardbred industry, but it was his exceptional skills as a trainer that earned him O’Brien Awards and induction into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame this past season. A teacher at Seneca College’s Harness Horse Industry Operations Course early in his career, Ben learned his craft from two other Hall of Famers, William Wellwood and Keith Waples.Ben Wallace
Ben is best known for Canadian Horse of the Year and triple crown winner Blissfull Hall as well as Totally Western, Pans Culottes, Apprentice Hanover, Easy Lover Hanover, Zooka, Cam Swifty, Camotion and Lookout Victory. -
Julie Walker Julie Walker hails from the famed Walker family who are well known for their ability with trotters. One of her first top performers, Massive Muscles, was started by her father Paul and then trained by Julie during his $100,000+ winning career.Julie Walker
One of the stars of her stable in 2020 was the Muscle Mass filly Profound Paragon who won six of seven OSS events and earned in excess of $136,000. Julie is also a strong supporter of the Racing Under Saddle (RUS) program and served as its president and competed in numerous RUS races throughout the province.
List of Services
-
Tony Beaton Despite two lockdowns, Tony Beaton enjoyed his best career as a Standardbred trainer in 2020. His top performers included stakes winner Rose Run Vintage, a winner of close to $300,000 to date, Bet On Becky who was three for three in OSS action and four for five last season and consistent performers Best Keepsake, Saratoga Blue Chip and Ring Of Kerry. He finished third on the OSS trainers’ list as well.Tony Beaton
The native of Port Hood, Nova Scotia, came to Ontario 20 years ago to work for Rod Hennessy. At the time he thought it was a stop gap on his way to a full time career but the move has proven permanent and successful. -
Mike Bishop For more than 20 years Mike Bishop has been a consistent trainer on the Ontario scene and beyond and at the conclusion of the 2020 season his stats show more than $5.3 million banked.Mike Bishop
Some of his better known performers include the $700,000+ winner Shezarealdeal, millionaire Big Tom as well as top distaffer Rons Girl and Western Paradise.
Mike’s 2020 project was the pacer Talbot Romeo who overcame a near fatal accident and being blind in one eye to return to the racetrack under his patient guidance. The son of Roll With Joe won his second start in more than two years in late December at Woodbine. -
Tim Cherwaiko Tim Cherwaiko’s career in horse racing began as a caretaker for well known trainer John Burns back in 1981. After establishing his own stable, Tim has been a consistent conditioner with one of his top students being Cool Guy, a trotter who took in over $320,000 through more than 100 lifetime starts.Tim Cherwaiko
Tim also trained the pacing mare Seda Solombre who swept the Niagara Series at Woodbine in 1997 and established a stakes record at the time. This past season Tim trained the Archangel trotter Archies Star who finished second in three Ontario Sires Stakes events. -
Chris Christoforou Chris Christoforou has been one of Canada’s top drivers for more than two decades. He’s been named Canada’s driver of the year four times, the first coming in 1999 and the most recent in 2014. Chris followed in his father, Charalambos’s, footsteps into the harness racing world and now his daughter, Emma, is following in his footsteps as a trainer. Some of the top horses Chris has driven include Earl, Astreos, Peaceful Way, Remember When, etc. His lifetime stats to date include more than 6,600 wins and close to $120 million in purses.Chris Christoforou
-
Meg Crone Even with a reduced number of race dates, trainer Meg Crone enjoyed her best season in 2020 as her charges earned in excess of $400,000. At the end of the year her trotting mare Scorched Romance captured two legs of the Ontario Harvest Series at Mohawk.Meg Crone
Meg, who worked for a number of notable trainers before branching out on her own, operates her stable alongside partner Anthony Haughan. The couple actually met at Classy Lane Stables when Meg moved to Ontario from New Jersey. -
Jack Darling An O’Brien Award winner as trainer of the Year in Canada, Jack Darling has been one of the leading trainers of trotters and pacers in North America for many years. His list of standout performers include such stars as Northern Luck, St Lads Popcorn, Gothic Dream, Diamond Dawn, Low Places, Twin B Champ and the list goes on.Jack Darling
Well known for his abilities with young horses, Jack’s 2020 season saw the star pacing colts, three-year-old Beaumond Hanover ($432,000) and two-year-old Bulldog Hanover ($248,000) compete for top billing. One of the most stalwart supporters of harness racing, Jack has co-ordinated many fund raisers and has been awarded the Lloyd Chisholm Memorial Award as well as the Unsung Hero and Good Guy Awards by USHWA. -
Amanda Fine The daughter of long time trainer Marty Fine, Amanda as just completed her second year as a full time trainer, as she started in May of 2019. From a relatively small stable, her numbers are impressive with 148 lifetime starts to date for more than $420,000 in earnings.Amanda Fine
The young conditioner has a soft spot for Highland Mowgli who overcame a number of health issues to earn $74,000 and win two OSS events last year at two. Amanda owns the Archangel son with his breeder, Mary Clark of Highland Farm. Mary also owns the now three-year-old Somebeachsomewhere colt HIghlandbeachsbest who Amanda trained to winnings of $140,000 during his debut season which included a Metro elim victory. -
Carl Jamieson Carl’s induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013 is indicative of his career in the sport. The Maritime native is well known for his ability to spot young talent and cultivate it in horses and people as his son Jody has been one of the industry’s leading drivers for several years.Carl Jamieson
The pinnacle of Carl’s career came in 2011 when his star Up The Credit captured Canada’s richest harness race, the North America Cup, with Jody in the sulky. A multiple O’Brien Award winner, Carl’s other standouts have included Santanna Blue Chip, Warrawee Needy, Appleoosa Hanover, Elegant Killean and Banner Yankee. -
Rob Jenkins Rob has been a long time trainer in Ontario with his pupils competing at many tracks throughout the province. This past season he raced the six-year-old pacer Windsong Grayson.Rob Jenkins
Career wise Rob has close to 300 victories and over $1.2 million in earnings with his best season coming in 2002 with more than a quarter million in purses won. -
Martin Lachance Martin Lachance hails from harness racing royalty with his father being Hall of Famer Michel Lachance, one of the most talented drivers to ever lift the lines. His brother is talented trainer Pat Lachance. Martin wasn’t initially going to train horses; he has a degree in Psychology and social work, but he returned to his roots and started to work for trainer Ben Baillargeon before starting his own stable.Martin Lachance
To date his charges have made 160 trips to the winners’ circle for earnings just shy of $2 million. One of his most consistent performers in recent years is the $622,000 winning trotter Wild And Crazy Guy. -
Dan Lagace Dan Lagace has trained on the Ontario circuit for several years and has been based at Classy Lane for the past few seasons. He’s known for horses such as Destinys Magic, Watermelonwine, and Keystone Maddie.Dan Lagace
The stable was well represented in 2020 by the Sunshine Beach miss All Day Sunshine, a winner of over $200,000 in her career to date as well as OSS winners Sportsfire and Take Control. -
Paul MacDonell Not only is Paul MacDonell one of the best harness drivers of all time, he’s also one of the nicest. Inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2020 Paul’s stats include the remarkable achievement of earning more than $1 million in purses for 33 straight years.Paul MacDonell
Paul has been associated with a myriad of talented horses but the one who stand outs is the incomparable Somebeachsomewhere. Over his long career Paul has captured virtually every stake possible thanks to incredible performers like Invitro, Admirals Express, Village Jiffy, Bigtime Ball, Elusive Desire, Laddie and Village Connection. Paul has become more focussed on the training side of the sport in recent years. -
Roger Mayotte One of the most successful and well respected trainer/drivers in Canada for more than four decades. Roger’s most recognizable racehorse was the $2.1 million winner Escape The Wind who he trained and drove throughout his eight year career competing with the upper echelon of pacers.Roger Mayotte
Other top performers include Cammibest, Take A Look and Kingsbridge. This past season Roger enjoyed success on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit thanks to the filly trotters Princesspartypants and Modern Mass. As a trainer Roger has more than $12 million earned while his driving career has netted him $54 million to date. -
Scott McEneny Over the course of his long and successful career Scott McEneny has had many top horses but the one he’ll always be remembered for is the great Bettors Delight. A winner of more than $2.5 million, many stake races and awards, the horse dominated on the track and has been just as successful in the stallion ranks since his retirement.Scott McEneny
With purses earned in excess of $17.5 million, Scott’s recent top performers include last year’s multiple stakes winner Warrawee Vicky, as well as Big Thong, Bettors Up, Putnam Romeo and several others. -
Dave Menary Dave Menary has always said the horse that put him on the map in racing was the great Hes Watching. Purchased for a mere $3,000, the horse would go on to become one of the fastest horses in racing and earn more than $1 million.Dave Menary
Menary has also shown he’s adept at conditioning trotters as proven by millionaires Sintra and Charmed Life. Dave’s starters have won more than 800 races and taken in over $20 million in purses. -
Chantal Mitchell Chantal Mitchell’s stable has been red hot the past two years as it hoovered close to the $1 million mark in earnings both seasons with $961,000 in 2020 and $855,000 the previous year.Chantal Mitchell
Chantal’s stable star over the last few years is multiple stakes winner Alicorn ($673,000), the O’Brien Award winner as two-year-old pacing filly of the year in 2019. Another highlight of her 2020 season was taking over the training on the great Party Girl Hill (15 for 16 last year) for her Fan Hanover starts at Mohawk in which she was victorious. One of her promising pupils going into 2021 is Control Heaven, who earned $55,000 last year at two. -
Tony O'Sullivan A native of New Zealand, Tony O’Sullivan came to Canada in 1999 and has been proving himself as a learning trainer ever since. After working alongside other trainers, Tony’s first major win came with Breeders Crown victor Susies Magic.Tony O'Sullivan
Other top performers to learn from Tony include millionaires Alsace Hanover and Drop The Ball along with O’Brien Award winner Beyond Delight, multiple OSS winners Muscle Baby Doll, Mayhem Seelster and Youre Majestic. Tony’s career earnings will surpass $30 million very shortly. -
Bill Rosene Bill Rosene has been involved in the harness racing world for many years and got back into training in 2021. Partnering with his brother Leonard and specializing in claiming, Bill’s recent starters include A Boy Named Suuzz, Monty Mono, Rays Kredit and Yaris Seelster.Bill Rosene
-
Ben Wallace Ben Wallace has excelled at several facets of the Standardbred industry, but it was his exceptional skills as a trainer that earned him O’Brien Awards and induction into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame this past season. A teacher at Seneca College’s Harness Horse Industry Operations Course early in his career, Ben learned his craft from two other Hall of Famers, William Wellwood and Keith Waples.Ben Wallace
Ben is best known for Canadian Horse of the Year and triple crown winner Blissfull Hall as well as Totally Western, Pans Culottes, Apprentice Hanover, Easy Lover Hanover, Zooka, Cam Swifty, Camotion and Lookout Victory. -
Julie Walker Julie Walker hails from the famed Walker family who are well known for their ability with trotters. One of her first top performers, Massive Muscles, was started by her father Paul and then trained by Julie during his $100,000+ winning career.Julie Walker
One of the stars of her stable in 2020 was the Muscle Mass filly Profound Paragon who won six of seven OSS events and earned in excess of $136,000. Julie is also a strong supporter of the Racing Under Saddle (RUS) program and served as its president and competed in numerous RUS races throughout the province.
Blacksmith
LOCATION
6923 Concession 1, RR#2, Puslinch, ON N0B 2J0
CONTACT
Ross Buurma 519-897-2058
Lisa Buurma 519-577-9198
Email: info@classylanestables.com
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