Legend – Thoroughbred Trainer

Bill Bringloe was one of Canada’s most respected trainers during the 1920s and ’30s, winning the King’s Plate six times, a record that has since been exceeded by only two other men – Harry Giddings Jr., and Roger Attfield. In 1918 he took over the most powerful racing stable in Canada – Joseph Seagram’s outfit from Waterloo, Ont., and initially was unable to match the feats of Seagram’s earlier trainers who had captured the Queen’s or King’s Plate a record 15 times in 30 years. However, in 1923 he surprised fans, the clockers and the racing press when Flowerful broke out of the gate quickly and tomped home at Woodbine, returning $21 for a $2 waget.

The Mail and Empire complimented Bringloe’s training feat syaing, “He not only had the horse in grand condition, but fooled the clockers completely, and it’s a smart trainer that can fool them.” The Plate victory was the first for the sons of the late Joe Seagram – Edward, Norman and Thomas. Bringloe woudl saddle three more winners, all favourites, for the black and yellow silks of the Seagram Stable, winning in 1926 with Haplite, in 1928 with the great race mare Young Kitty and again in 1933 with King O’Connor, who defeated 21 rivals.

Bringloe also saddled two Plate winners for Harry C. Hatch, the millionaire industrialist and distiller. Monsweep in 1936 and Goldlute in 1937 were not the favourites but each sped home on top at Woodbine. Goldlure was Bringloe’s last Plate horse.