Longtime Ontario trainer Jerry Lavigne dead at 89

Longtime Ontario trainer Jerry Lavigne died on Jan. 4 when just six days shy of his 90th birthday, according to a release put out by Woodbine’s Tom Cosgrove.

After retiring as a jockey, Lavigne began his training career in 1958. He won the Queen’s Plate twice, initially in 1970 with Almoner, who gave jockey Sandy Hawley his first of four victories in the historic race. He also won it in 1982 with the front-running Son of Briartic, who defeated subsequent Travers winner Runaway Groom.

Among the other stakes winners Lavigne trained were 1972 Canadian champion 3-year-old Nice Dancer. He won the marathon Valedictory Stakes four times, with Monte Christo, Fabe Count, Gore Park, and Old Gun Powder.

Lavigne conditioned 22 stakes winners, and won a total of 68 stakes.