In The Sulky Forum
General Category => General Harness Racing Discussion => Topic started by: caveman on March 31, 2014, 10:17:37 PM
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How old is Melvin Turcotte ?
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Has to be 72 or 73.
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from 1974 USTA Handbook:
TURCOTTE, Melvin BIRTHPLACE: Mattawa, Ont.
Pointe Aux Trembles, Que. BIRTHDATE: 9-30-38
Melvin Turcotte is a member of one of Canada's top harness racing families. His father, Theodore Sr., was active for many years before his retirement, and saw eight of his ten sons (he also had four daughters) go into the racing business.
Melvin started driving at Montreal tracks at the age of 18 in 1956 and won his first race with a horse named Defiance.
After several seasons of competition in Quebec, he made the move to U. S. tracks in 1971, going into the Cleveland area and then up to DetroitWindsor. He won the percentage championship at Northfield his first season there.
During 1973, he enjoyed success with the two-year-old trotter Dream of Glory, owned by Pius Soehnlen of Canton, Ohio, as he drove him to within a fifth of a second of the all-time mark on a half-miler at Delaware. He also drove Soehnlen's top colt pacing stakes winner Pickwick Baron.
Turcotte is married and has four children, a boy and three girls.
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Wow! He is 18 years older than I am. I thought he was around 15 years older.
Mel was a very, very good driver, even in his 50s. Have not seen him since 1991, but truly one of the better all-around horsemen I ever knew.
Thanks Wilderness! thumbsup