2025 Standardbred Builder Inductee
Kent Oakes was a pivotal figure in Canadian harness racing, dedicating over three decades to advancing the sport through various leadership and developmental roles and making a lasting impact regionally, provincially and nationally.
Kent’s family first became involved in harness racing in the early 1960s, and he took great pride in seeing the third generation continue that legacy. Over the course of his career as a civil servant – first with the Department of Agriculture and later with the Department of Finance – Kent remained deeply dedicated to the Atlantic Canadian harness racing industry.
The native of North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island was elected to the Board of Standardbred Canada in 2010, elected to the Executive in 2013 and served as SC’s Chair in 2014, working on multiple SC committees including the Governance / Bylaws Committee and the Government Relations Committee during his time as a Director. He served on the election and nomination committees for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame for multiple years.
In his home province, Oakes served on numerous industry boards and committees, including the Atlantic Harness Racing Development Council and the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association. He was CEO of the PEI Lotteries Commission, interim Director of Racing at the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission, and Racing Manager at Red Shores properties. He represented the province on the Planning and Construction Committee, in redeveloping the Charlottetown Driving Park, helping to shape a strong future for the island’s racing infrastructure. Oakes was instrumental in organizing grants and mentoring the development of matinee tracks across PEI, fostering grassroots participation in harness racing.
During the Covid era, Oakes was one of the co-creators of the Virtual Tack Room, which featured race videos, a photo parade and special guests sharing memories and stories on the Universum Media Facebook page. The concept was to continue to bring the harness racing community together through technology, specifically during that time.
Through this work that spanned more than thirty years, Oakes was always positive and proactive in moving the Standardbred industry forward.
Alongside his brother Wayne, Oakes bred several stakes-winning horses, most notably the 2004 Governor’s Plate winner, Igoddago.
He was the recipient (posthumously) of the 2024 Cam Fella Award, presented by Standardbred Canada to honour individuals who have made exceptional and recent contributions to Canadian harness racing. He was also the recipient of the Joe Smallwood Award for 2024, presented by the Government of PEI, in recognition of his lasting impact on the grassroots of harness racing in the province.
In 2025, the Prince Edward Island Standardbred Horse Owners Association renamed the Harness Racing Industry Builders Wall of Fame in Oakes’ honour, acknowledging his tireless efforts to improve harness racing on the Island and across the country.
Kent Oakes passed away on June 28, 2024, at the age of 64. He will be remembered for his unwavering dedication and the profound influence he had on the Canadian harness racing industry.