Hall of Fame

 



lucien fontaine

Year of Induction: 
2023
Year of Birth: 
1939
Immortal: 
Yes
DriverTrainer: 
Yes
Driver: 
Yes
Election Into Living Hall of Fame: 
2022
Year of Death: 
2022
Biography: 

Born on April 12, 1939 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, Lucien Fontaine (“Loosh”) is probably best known as the driver-trainer of undefeated 1986 Horse of the Year Forrest Skipper p,4,T1:50.3 ($1,044,650). In an era where the driver-trainer was prominent, Fontaine became one of a new breed of “catch-drivers,” plying his trade to reach the winners circle on 3,458 occasions and amassing $21,236,952 in purse earnings.

Fontaine began his career at age 14 as a groom for Hall of Famer Keith Waples. In 1957 Fontaine emigrated to the U.S., where Clint Hodgins gave him a job caring for two horses at the newly re-opened Roosevelt Raceway. During this time Hodgins’ stable included world champions Bye Bye Byrd p,5,T1:56.1 ($554,272) and Elaine Rodney 3,1:58.3 ($386,808).

In 1961 Fontaine went out on his own, appearing on the New York circuit, winning back-to-back driving titles at Monticello Raceway in 1963 and 1964 with horses such as Pocomoonshine p,6,1:59.3f ($285,590). He duplicated the success he had at Rockingham and Monticello by winning driving titles at both Roosevelt Raceway and Yonkers Raceway in 1968, 1977 and 1978. He would go on to win over $1 million a year at the two tracks ten times.

On November 26, 1968, at age 29, Fontaine became the youngest driver ever to pilot horses to more than $1 million in seasonal earnings, joining Stanley Dancer, Billy Haughton, Del Insko and George Sholty in that then-exclusive club.

In 1986 Fontaine trained and drove Horse of the Year Forrest Skipper p,4,T1:50.3 ($1,044,650). The team had a perfect 15-for-15 season setting records everywhere they went. Forrest Skipper established new track records when he won legs of the Graduate Series at Freehold and Rosecroft. He also set a track record at Roosevelt when he won a leg of the U.S. Pacing Championship, and at Canterbury Downs when he was victorious in the Dan Patch Pace. He established a new standard at Dover Downs and he equaled the track record at Los Alamitos when he won the Breeders Crown. On July 26, 1986 Forrest Skipper and Fontaine raced against the clock in a time trial effort of 1:50.3 which at the time equaled the third-fastest mile in harness racing history – only Niatross and Nihilator were quicker.

Sadly, Fontaine’s career was cut short in 1989 due to health issues.

Behind the scenes Fontaine served as a vice president of the National Association of Harness Drivers and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York, working to improve the future of horsemen and harness racing. He was on a committee of the New York State Racing Commission seeking equitable rules for horsemen. In October 2010 Fontaine received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Harness Writers Association and joined the Florida chapter the following year.

Lucien Fontaine was elected to harness racing’s Living Hall of Fame prior to his passing on September 10, 2022 at the age of 83.