On Monday, February 8, 2016, CHRHF Managing Director Linda Rainey made a presentation to Oshawa’s Planning Development Committee reinforcing the importance of ensuring the Legacy of Windfields Farm is honoured, not only as it applies to owner E. P. Taylor and the great Northern Dancer, but also the many other people and horses affiliated with the property.

Below is the text from that presentation:

Deputation to
Oshawa Development Services Committee
Monday February 8, 2016 6:30 p.m
Proposed Program for Honouring the Windfields Farm Legacy

Good evening, my name is Linda Rainey. I hold the position of Managing Director of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The Hall is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. On behalf of the Hall I would like to thank you for the opportunity to provide some thoughts and input about the proposed program for honouring the Windfields Farm Legacy.

The CHRHF is a national organization whose mission is to honour and preserve the best in Canadian Horse Racing. Founded in 1976, we are currently celebrating our 40th anniversary, and at present have inducted approximately 460 horses and people representing both Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing, for their significant contributions to the Canadian horse racing industry.

Among our Hall’s celebrated members are many who have direct connections to the property most recently known as Windfields Farm. In fact, the initial class of inductees to the CHRHF in 1976 included not only E.P. Taylor and Northern Dancer but also Nijinsky II and Victoria Park. Additionally Col. R. S. McLaughlin’s Queen’s Plate winning horses Horometer and Kingarvie were part of the inaugural list of inductees. Col. Sam himself was inducted just one year later.

In total 24 horses bred or owned by E. P. Taylor are members of the Hall. Six of these horses are buried in the Northern Dancer cemetery: Northern Dancer, Victoria Park, Canadiana, New Providence, Vice Regent and Windfields. Additionally, Lady Angela is buried in the Trillium Cemetery.

Turning to the Queen’s Plate, North America’s oldest continuously run stakes race, in addition to the afore mentioned Plate wins Col. McLaughlin also won the Kings Plate with Moldy in 1947.

E.P. Taylor’s Plate statistics are truly phenomenal. Between 1949 and 1998 horses bred and owned by Mr. Taylor won the Plate race 11 times while additional 11 horses bred by Taylor/Windfields were also victorious.

A full list of all horses included in these statistics are attached in the copies provided to the committee.

We would like to applaud the City of Oshawa for the continued efforts to keep the legacy of Windfields Farm alive and – in turn – honouring this very important part of Canada’s racing industry. We wish to encourage you to ensure that this recognition be extended beyond just the names most familiar to the public, (E.P Taylor and Northern Dancer), to reach further into the history books to recognize the other very successful horses and stories connected to Windfields Farm and its previous incarnation: Parkwood Stable.

You have within your city boundaries one of the most iconic properties associated with Canadian horse racing’s almost 250 year history. A property that is responsible for numerous stories that we must strive to bring to the public in tangible ways. In so doing you are in a position to remind community members and visitors alike of the important contributions made in Oshawa, Canada and indeed all over the world.

Thank you

Linda Rainey
Managing Director
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame