When William (Bill)
Quigg wasn’t busy managing his successful publishing company, he could usually
be found at the race track. His family
says his greatest pleasure in life was being a member of the Fredericton
Raceway harness racing community and that pleasure became a passion during the
1960’s.
Bill Quigg was a local
businessman who, along with his wife, Margaret, established Commercial
Publishers and a weekly newspaper, The Capital Free Press, in 1949. Capital Free Press went on to become a large printing
company in town and provided the race programs at Fredericton Raceway until it
closed in 1991. During the lean years of
the 1960’s when money was tight at the track, the race programs were often printed
at no charge.
It was during those
lean years that Quigg and fellow businessmen and interested horsemen formed
Wilmot Downs Ltd.
Wilmot Downs Ltd. included
Robert Calhoun, George Woodside, Herb Gill, Herman True, Ron Burgess, John
Savage, Bill Barker, Don Belmore, Cliff Young and Quigg. They were responsible for maintaining the
sport during that era, leasing the track from Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. and
operating Fredericton Raceway until 1974.
For its efforts to
preserve harness racing during that time, Wilmot Downs was recognized with an induction
into the Fredericton Raceway Wall of Fame in 2010.
However, Quigg was more
than just a businessman. He was also an
active horseman and together with long-time friend, Ross Millet, owned the
“Millet and Quigg Stable”. Together they
raced some very successful horses during that time including Silver Sister, Dan
Scott, Lloyds Star, Shermar Shirley, Miramichi Joe, Miramichi Peter, Miramichi
Bruce and Miramichi Elmer.
And then there was
Quigg’s favorite horse – Elmwood.
Elmwood (Time
Table-Woodland Ruth) was a champion two-year-old homebred racing for Dr. George
Irving of Moncton on the Atlantic Sires Stakes (ASS) circuit in 1967 against rivals
Miramichi Dot, Restigouche Abbe, Brenda’s Rose and Darn Good Candy. He concluded his freshmen season with a
record of 17-6-5-1. The beautiful black
colt caught Quigg’s eye after finishing second to Miramichi Dot in both heats
of an ASS event at Fredericton during FREX week.
Quigg and Millet set
out to purchase Elmwood during the off-season and campaign him as a
three-year-old in 1968. Philip Sowers
was assigned to train and drive Elmwood who became known for his toughness,
timid starts and an ability to ‘smoothen out’ the further he went.
After a sophomore
campaign that saw him make 40 starts, he had 14 wins, 10 seconds and seven
thirds. His money earnings were $8,049. Among his wins was a victory in the Lofty
Hardy at Truro in 2:08.4, the fastest by a Maritime-bred three-year-old colt
that year.
 | |
| Bill Quigg, Margaret Quigg, ELMWOOD, Philip Sowers, Ross Millet |
Elmwood continued to
campaign for the stable over the next few years in the Maritimes and the
eastern United States, earning $27,672 along the way. In 1970, he took a lifetime record of 2:06.4.
Bill Quigg passed away
shortly afterwards at the age of 61. He
and Elmwood were inducted into the Fredericton Raceway Wall of Fame in 2008.
Quigg’s harness racing legacy
has been carried on by his family. His
wife and son, Herbert, maintained the racing stable for a number of years after
his death and Margaret also assumed his place on the Board of Directors of
Wilmot Downs Ltd. She continued to
attend the races in Fredericton right up until she passed away in 2005 at the
age of 91. Herbert’s wife, Diane, was promotions
director at Fredericton Raceway for a number of years. Bill’s daughter, Barbara, was one of the
first official licensed charters under the USTA and is a prominent citizen in
Fredericton.
The Bill Quigg Memorial
was first raced at Exhibition Park Raceway in 1973 and remained there – with
the exception of 1975 when no race was held – until 1977. Since 1978, the Bill Quigg has been held at
Fredericton. It is the longest running
stake in the Maritimes and was the first to establish a separate division for
fillies in 1990.
Fittingly, the first
Bill Quigg Memorial winner was co-owned by his former partner, Ross Millet.
Prior to the race Millett
had said, “Bill Quigg was my partner in harness racing for years. I would love
to win this race in his memory.”
Millet was the co-owner
of Forever’s Pride - along with William (Buddy) Wolfe of Fredericton - who equaled
the Maritime-bred record for three-year-olds in 2:05.2 for driver Boyd Tremere
in the inaugural race. Darky Adios, who
was not eligible to the race, had set the three-year-old record four days
previous.
Fredericton native Bobby
Stevenson won with Shawfield Bras D’or in 1974 in times of 2:07.3 and 2:06.4
by a combined 22 lengths over Rainbow Time and Mike Downey. It was the only time the race was conducted
with two heats.
BILL
QUIGG MEMORIAL WINNERS
1973* Forever’s Pride - Boyd Tremere - 2:05.2
1974* Shawfield Bras D’or - Robert Stevenson - 2:07.2
– 2:06.4
1975 Not raced
1976* Hub City Champ - Boyd Tremere - 2:06.3
1977* Prime Prospect - Rod Jamieson - 2:11.4
1978 Adoras Valentine - Phil Pinkney - 2:07
1979 Kilkerran Ella - Doug Walsh - 2:03.2
1980 Kickback Dick - Steve Mahar - 2:05
A T Ervin - Jimmy Watkins - 2:05.4
1981 Chets Pride - Daniel Gass - 2:03.1
1982 Opinion’s Rae - Doug Walsh - 2:04.3
1983 Gemini Risk - Wally Hennessey - 2:02.3
Flying Down - Steve Mason - 2:03
1984 Dunachton Dandy - Richard Gallant - 2:01.2
Melanie Down - Steve Mason - 2:01.3
1985 Island Fella - Clark Smith - 2:01.3
Glengyle Major - Jody Hennessey - 2:01.3
1986 Balmaghie Breeze - Steve Mahar - 2:03.4
P H Colin - Steve Mahar - 2:02.3
1987 Gemini Jade - Steve Mahar - 2:01
Dunachton Major - Russell
Burgoyne - 1:59.2
1988 Kilkerran Fury - Emmons McKay - 2:00.2
Doubly Blest - Clare MacDonald - 2:01
1989 Boston Fenway - Albert Bernard - 2:03.2
P H Dougie - Doug
Walsh - 2:01.3
1990** Burden Of Freedom - Steve Mahar - 2:00.4
Island Kysaac - Gilles Barrieau - 2:02.3
Diplomat Katie - Russell Burgoyne - 2:00
1991 Christopher C Down - Steve Mahar - 1:58.4
Kilkerran Ingle - Emmons McKay - 2:00.1
Wittenburg - David Pinkney - 2:01.2
1992 Sir Elmo - Russell
Burgoyne - 2:01.2
Some Nice Ketch - Russell Burgoyne - 2:00.3
1993 Harborvue Jacob - Danny Romo - 2:07
West River Diesel - Clare MacDonald - 2:05.3
Woodmere Hunny - Gilles Barrieau - 2:09.4
Molzan - Donnie MacDougall - 2:10.3
1994 Rum Toddy - Danny Romo - 2:00.4
Stargaze Down - Gilles Barrieau - 1:58
Dexters Jane - Earl Smith - 2:01.3
P H Dawn - Danny Romo - 2:01.4
1995 Mynahvizzone - Brian Moore - 2:01.4
Calgary Flutie - Danny O’Brian - 2:00.4
Jasper Moon - Paul Rogerson - 2:00.4
Gemini Gazelle - Paul MacDonald - 2:01.1
Island Paragon - Albert Bernard - 2:01.4
1996 Alfred Alfred - Steve Mahar - 2:01
Island Quentin - Jody Hennessey - 1:59
Could Be Magic - Earl Smith - 2:00
Meductic Molly - Steve Mahar - 1:59.3
Island Quisite - Danny O’Brian - 2:00
1997 Woodmere Fortune - Gordon Hennessey - 1:59.2
Chatham Hoochee - Gordon Hennessey - 1:59.4
Woodmere Topcat - Todd Trites - 1:58.1
Island Reba - Garry MacDonald - 2:01
Blu Meadow Magic - Paul MacDonald - 2:01
1998 Island Storm - Garry MacDonald - 2:04.3
Island Sean - Danny Romo - 2:05
Miss Courtney Lynn - Gilles Barrieau - 2:06.2
Miss Flamingo Too - Danny Romo - 2:07
1999 Argo Flutie - Sean Shannon - 2:06
Buster Buttons - Darren Crowe - 2:02.3
Arcanes Falcon - Clark Bustard - 2:06.3
Island Tradition - Clare MacDonald - 2:04
E Js Pride - Ernest Laffin - 2:06
P H Happy Cat - Todd Trites - 2:05.1
2000 Flex Appeal - Rod Jamieson - 1:59.2
Remo - Gilles Barrieau - 1:58.3
Island United - Clare MacDonald - 2:01.4
Mighty Sassy - Paul MacDonald - 2:01.3
2001 Saulsbrook - Todd Trites - 1:59.4
T K Skye - Danny Romo - 2:01.4
Firms Phantom - Danny Romo - 1:59.1
Island Vanessa - Danny Romo - 2:03.3
Cookies Lighting - Gilles Barrieau - 2:00.1
Pinch Of Nutmeg - Phil Pinkney - 2:01.3
2002 Quick Flow - Gilles Barrieau - 1:58
Island Windstorm - Earl Smith - 1:58.4
Charlottes Best - Gilles Barrieau - 1:57
Charlottes A Team - Danny Romo - 1:59.4
2003 Elm Grove Jake - Steve Mahar - 2:00.2
Clinton Debriefed - Gilles Barrieau - 1:56.4
Britts Brat - Steve Mahar - 2:02
Charlottes Liz - Todd Trites - 2:01
2004 Lotta Speed - Sam Hodgin Jr - 2:00
Dunachton Gale - Phil Pinkney - 1:56.4
Mr. Domi - Calvin Isenor - 1:57.1
Fundy Breeze - Clare MacDonald - 2:00
Roady Ryan - Wayne Watson - 2:02
2005 War Banner - Gilles Barrieau - 2:01
Flaming Moe - Gilles Barrieau - 1:57.2
Fern Hill Queen - Terry Gallant - 2:00
Howmacs Dragon - Earl Smith - 2:00
2006 Super Sidney C - Clare MacDonald - 2:04.2
Elm Grove Action - Mike Stevenson - 2:05
Pee Em Ess - Todd Trites - 1:59.4
Gordies Last Call - Gilles Barrieau - 1:59.4
Cruising Thunder - Danny Romo - 2:00.4
2007 Force Ore Finesse - Phil Pinkney - 1:56
Country Estate - Darren Crowe - 1:59.2
Special Guest - Clare MacDonald - 1:58.2
Gracie Girl - Todd Trites - 1:58.3
2008 Ride The Lightning - Danny Romo - 1:57.3
Riccarras Sun - Brian MacPhee - 1:56.3
Tobins Paradise - Todd Trites - 2:01
For The Luv Abunny - Danny Romo - 1:58.2
2009 Woodmere Bigsplash - Todd Trites - 1:59.1
Calmlee Jason - Calvin Isenor - 2:01.3
Seawind Motion - Terry Gallant - 1:59.2
R Es Miss Mcardle - Todd Trites - 1:59.2
Orally Yours - Gilles Barrieau - 1:59.4
2010 Mr. Salming - Gilles Barrieau - 1:57.2
Unstoppable Speed - Brian MacPhee - 1:58.2
R Es Miss Jen - Gilles Barrieau - 1:59.3
Scootingforsuccess - Gilles Barrieau - 1:58.4
2011 Pictonians Souwest - Mike Stevenson - 1:58.1
Putnams Art - Bernard McCallum - 2:01.1
Pictonians Matador - Mike Stevenson - 1:58.1
Honey Do Jigtime - Clare MacDonald - 2:00
Force Of Fire - Henry Smallwood - 1:58.4
2012 Mr. Thompson - Mike Stevenson - 1:56.2
First Art Down - Gilles Barrieau - 1:55.3
Touch Of Lightning - Earl Smith - 1:56.4
First Lady Of Art - Todd Trites - 1:57.3
Malabrigo - Marc Campbell - 1:57
Independent Gal - Marc Campbell - 1:58.4
* - held at Exhibition Park Raceway
** - first year colts and fillies
separated
* * * * *
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