Thoroughbred › Trainers

Few conditioners of Thoroughbreds in Canada posses the Hall of Fame credentials than those of Gil Rowntree. His accomplishments include a Sovereign Award as Canada's Outstanding Trainer in 1975 along with four Queen's Plate victories. He won with Royal Chocolate (1973), Amber Herod (1974) and Sound Reason (1977) for owner Jack Stafford and in 1984 he captured the 125th running of Canada's most prestigious race with Key To The Moon for BKY Stables.

The greatest horse he ever trained was Overskate, who lost the 1978 Plate race by a short neck to Regal Embrace. However, Overskate went on to a brilliant career, culminating with his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1993. He twice was named Horse of the Year and earned a record nine Sovereign Awards during an exceptional career.

Rowntree also developed Canadian champions Ten Gold Pots Deceit Dancer, Allan Blue, Key To The Moon and Sound Reason. In 1973 he achieved an unparalleled feat when his Stafford Farms' entry of Tara Road, Good Port and Royal Chocolate finished 1-2-3 in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown.

Born in 1934, the native of Toronto had a brief career as a jockey. He honed his training skills while working as an assistant to future Hall of Fame trainer Lou Cavalaris Jr. Prior to his induction Rowntree saddled 970 winners. His runners had earned almost $15 million.

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