The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee’s Annual Review for 2023

March 8, 2023

The Jockey Club of Canada’s Graded Stakes Committee held its annual review of the Graded and Listed Stakes races in Canada. The number of Graded Stakes in Canada will increase to 42. The increase is due to the return of the Canadian International (Grade 1) and the upgrade of one Listed race to Grade 3 status. No Graded Stakes races were downgraded.

The Graded Stakes Committee meeting was conducted by Committee Chair, Ross McKague who was accompanied by the appointed Committee Members David Anderson, Doug Anderson, Jeffrey Begg, Catherine Day Phillips, Bernard McCormack and Jockey Club of Canada’s Chief Steward R. Glenn Sikura. James Bannon was unable to attend, but provided commentary in advance of the meeting. As well, the attending racetrack representatives included Allen Goodsell and Josh Murphy from Alberta, Nichelle Milner and Scott Henson from British Columbia, Ross McKague representing Manitoba, and Julia Bell and Scott Lane from Ontario.

The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all Graded, Listed, and potentially Listed races in Canada. 2022 was the first year since 2019 that restricted movement of horses and humans did not hamper field size and, ultimately, race quality. Most races achieved as good or better scores in 2022 and their status was secure. A few races were granted concessions for their slow recovery based on their superior historical references and acceptable current numerical evaluations.

After reviewing the NARC figures and the RQS numbers for all Listed and Blacktype races in Canada, the Committee determined that the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes will be upgraded to Grade 2 status and the Listed Belle Mahone Stakes will be upgraded to Grade 3 status. Additionally, the Ontario Damsel Stakes and the Algonquin Stakes (previously run as the Ontario Racing Stakes) will be upgraded to Listed status.

For a complete list of graded stakes for 2023 in Canada, please visit our Graded Stakes page.

E. P. Taylor Award of Merit, Outstanding Groom Award Winners, and Media Sovereign Awards Finalists Announced for the 2022 Sovereign Awards

February 27, 2023

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce that Dale Saunders will be presented with the E. P. Taylor Award of Merit during the 48^th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 in Vaughan, Ontario. Selected unanimously by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the E. P. Taylor Award is a lifetime achievement award honouring those who have made significant contributions to the Thoroughbred Industry in Canada and accomplished outstanding individual achievements in Canadian thoroughbred racing and breeding.

Dale Saunders has been dedicated to the sport of thoroughbred racing for over 50 years. With 2,177 wins from 12,915 starts and $17.4 million in earnings, “Colonel” Saunders has achieved as much as any other trainer in Alberta. His passion for thoroughbred racing was bred into him, with his father and his cousins all keen horsemen and avid thoroughbred breeders and owners. Dale has won countless stakes races and was Alberta Trainer of the Year in 1983, 1985, 1987 – 1989, 1996 – 1999 and 2013. He was also honoured in 2012 as the Horseperson of the Year at the Alberta Thoroughbred Awards.

The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to present Amber Hutchinson and Ricardo Nichalson with the 2022 Outstanding Groom Award sponsored by OLG. Both Amber and Ricardo are spoken of very highly by their nominators, trainers Mike Doyle and Ian Black, respectively.

This year marks Amber’s 16^th season with Mike Doyle who describes her as dependable, diligent, cheerful, unfailingly kind, and having earned the respect of her coworkers.

Ian Black began his training career 19 years ago, and Ricardo has been with him the entire time. Known for his race day outfits which are catered to match each owners’ silks and the saddlecloth colour, “Ricky” has groomed such horses as multiple graded stakes winners Seductively and Southdale.

The Jockey Club of Canada is also pleased to announce the finalists for the 2022 Media Sovereign Awards categories. Judging for the Media Awards is performed by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America.

Listed in alphabetical order, the Media finalists are:

Digital Audio/Visual and Broadcast Category

• Peter Gross – Down the Stretch Podcast 146

• Horse Racing Alberta – The Canadian Derby Feature – Above and Beyond

• Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen’s Plate

Photograph Category

• Allan de la Plante – The Catch

• Lisa Thompson – Belcarra Park

• Julie Wright – On Cloud Nine – 2022 EP Taylor Champions

Writing Category

• Ivan Bigg – Brandon Greer’s Quiet Success

• Dave Briggs – Why Can’t Horse Racing Partake in Ontario’s Sports Betting Boom

• Ron Gierkink – Queen’s Plate Feature Sunday Aug. 7

• Chris Lomon – Mike Keogh: Canada’s Gentleman Horseman Calls it a Career

• George Williams – Derby Winner has a Manitoba Mother

The winner in each of the three Media Awards categories will be announced, along with the other Sovereign Awards winners and Canada’s Horse of the Year during the 48^th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario.

The Jockey Club of Canada Announces 50^th Anniversary Celebrations and 2022 Sovereign Awards Masters of Ceremonies

February 22, 2023

The 48^th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony, taking place the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario will be the first event of the year to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the founding of The Jockey Club of Canada. Beginning with that evening’s Sovereign Awards ceremony, The Jockey Club of Canada will be honouring the legacy of our founding members throughout 2023 with various celebrations of our 50^th anniversary.

Chief Steward R. Glenn Sikura notes “The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to be celebrating its 50th year of existence. Founded by one of the titans of the thoroughbred industry, Mr. E. P. Taylor, master of Windfields Farm and breeder of greats like Northern Dancer and Nijinsky II, the Canadian legacy is rich and accomplished. We tip our caps to those that came before us and will strive to maintain the level of excellence that our predecessors have achieved.”

The Jockey Club of Canada is also pleased to announce two new Masters of Ceremonies for the 2022 Sovereign Awards, Dawn Lupul and Jeff Bratt, who will be reprising the role previously held by Jason Portuondo. Jason has done an exemplary job as host over the years and we are grateful to him for all he has done, and continues to do, for the thoroughbred racing industry in Canada.

Dawn and Jeff are no strangers to working together, having previously cohosted Woodbine’s simulcast broadcast. Both bring a wealth of knowledge and respect of thoroughbred racing throughout Canada to the Sovereign Awards and we are thrilled to have them on board.

Dawn has appeared in numerous network television specials throughout the years and even took her talent as a race caller overseas when invited to call a race at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia in 2020.

You’d be hard-pressed to find shows having aired from Woodbine without Jeff’s expertise, be they simulcasts or network programs for such prestigious race days as the Queen’s Plate, Woodbine Mile, or Canadian International.  

The winner in each of the media and divisional Sovereign Awards categories will be announced during the 48^th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario. Please call us at (416) 675-7756 or email jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your tickets today! Tickets can also be purchased online at: https://jockeyclubcanada.com/online-payments/.

The Jockey Club of Canada Announces 2022 Sovereign Awards Finalists

February 9, 2023

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2022 Sovereign Awards honouring Canada’s champions and recognizing their outstanding achievements in Canadian Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding.

The winner of each category, along with Canada’s Horse of the Year for 2022, will be announced during our 48^th Annual Sovereign Award ceremony which will be held on the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario.

Please call or email us for more information and to reserve your tickets today! Tickets can also be purchased online at: https://jockeyclubcanada.com/online-payments/.

2022 Sovereign Awards Finalists

The finalists in each of the following categories are listed in alphabetical order.

Horse of the Year

The Horse of the Year finalists will be announced during the 48^th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony.

The 2022 Media Sovereign Awards finalists, the winner of the Award for Outstanding Groom and this year’s E. P. Taylor Award and Special Sovereign Award winners will be announced in the coming days.

The winner in each of the three Media Sovereign Awards categories will be announced, along with the other Sovereign Awards winners during the 48^th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario.

For more information please contact The Jockey Club of Canada at (416) 675-7756 or jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com.

The Sovereign Awards Return to Universal Eventspace for 2022 Awards Night

December 2, 2022

The Jockey Club of Canada will host the 48^th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony to honour Canada’s champions of 2022 at one of Toronto’s premier venues, Universal Eventspace, located at 6250 Highway 7, Vaughan, Ontario.

The celebration will take place Thursday, April 13, 2023. Tickets to the 48^th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony are $250 each, with tables of ten discounted to $2000. Early-bird tickets are also available for a discounted price of $225 until March 13, 2023. 

Tickets are available for purchase online at https://jockeyclubcanada.com/online-payments/. Program advertisement space, sponsorships, and tickets can also be purchased by contacting The Jockey Club of Canada at (416) 675-7756 or by emailing jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com.

The Jockey Club of Canada is Now Accepting Submissions for the 2022 Media Sovereign Awards

November 17, 2022

The Jockey Club of Canada Announces Changes to Sovereign Awards Guidelines and Opening of Nominations for Outstanding Groom

November 1, 2022

Each year, The Jockey Club of Canada recognizes outstanding achievements in the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry in Canada with the Sovereign Awards. The Board of Stewards has amended two of the guidelines for the awards, effective for the 2022 awards which will be presented in 2023.

The first change is in regard to the trophy recipient of the divisional horse awards. The guideline has been amended to read:

The trophy recipient for the divisional horse awards shall be the owner of the horse as of its last start in the award year and, if the owner is not also the breeder, the breeder listed on the Jockey Club Certificate of Registration may receive a trophy as well.

The second change is in regard to the trophy recipient of the Outstanding Broodmare award. The guideline has been amended to read:

The owner of the Outstanding Broodmare at the end of the award year shall be the only recipient of that award and trophy.

On the eve of the Sovereign Awards, The Jockey Club of Canada also presents the Outstanding Groom award. While this is not a Sovereign Award, it is important to The Jockey Club of Canada and their sponsors to recognize the outstanding contributions of backstretch workers on such a special night for the industry. The Board of Stewards has amended the guideline for nominators for the Outstanding Groom award:

Nominators must hold a valid Thoroughbred license in the province of Ontario.

This opens up the pool of nominators which was previously restricted to licensed trainers and assistant trainers.

The nomination period for the Outstanding Groom award is now open, running from November 1, 2022 through to December 11, 2022.   For further information regarding Sovereign Awards guidelines or the Outstanding Groom award, please visit www.jockeyclubcanada.com or contact us at (416) 675-7756 or jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com.

Congratulations to the 2021 Sovereign Award Winners!

The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 47th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony through a live presentation on the evening of Thursday, April 14, 2022. We are pleased to announce the 2021 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.

Outstanding Photograph: WILL WONG

Welcome Back

Published July 1, 2021; Ontario Racing

Outstanding Writing: HAYLEY MORRISON

New Races, New Faces: How I Fell for The Fort

Published November 12, 2021 on CanadianThoroughbred.com    

Outstanding Audio Visual/Digital Broadcast: WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT 

The Queen’s Plate

Aired on CTV/TSN Sunday, August 22, 2021

Outstanding Groom: DENZIL FONSECA

The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to present Denzil Fonseca with the 2021 Outstanding Groom Award, sponsored by OLG. This year marks Denzil’s 40th year working on the Woodbine backstretch. For the past 14 years he has been a groom for trainer Mike Doyle. Denzil has worked for many accomplished horsepeople in Ontario including trainers John Charalambous, Cliff Hopmans, Jr. and Deborah England. He groomed many top horses for England. In recent years, Denzil has been the groom for many top horses from the Mike Doyle barn. Most notable of these was Holy Helena, a strong filly who came to Ontario for a stint in the summer of 2017 and won the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate for Stronach Stables.

E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: IVAN DALOS      

Ivan came to Canada from Hungary around the same time E.P. Taylor opened Woodbine racetrack in 1956 and put together a successful flooring and construction business. Once the horse racing bug took hold it did not take long for one of the first horses bred by Ivan to make news on an international stage. 

Victory Gallop, a son of Cryptoclearance and the first foal of his mare Victorious Lil spoiled Real Quiet’s bid for a Triple Crown sweep when he beat him by a nose in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Ivan immersed himself in pedigrees, seeking that perfect ‘nick’ and a broodmare band that numbered a handful is now more than three dozen, many of which are a part of several generations of Tall Oaks breeding.Tall Oaks won its first Sovereign for Outstanding Breeder in 2018 and doubled up in 2020.

A dedicated family man Ivan enjoys sharing the racing experiences with wife Irene and his three daughters, one of whom, Colleen, has moved into a lead role in the racing and breeding operation. “I started Tall Oaks for my family,” said Ivan. “I try to breed every horse to the best of my ability.”

Champion Two-Year-Old Female: MRS. BARBARA

Trainer: Mark E. Casse

Owner:  Spruce Stable 

Breeder: Jim Dandy Stable

DK B. F. 2, by Bodemeister – Destroy (Housebuster)

2021: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $144,809

Winner: Mazarine S. (G3), MSW

Mrs. Barbara (112), Moira (59), Diabolic (49)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: GOD OF LOVE

Trainer: Mark E. Casse

Owner:  Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Barber, Gary

Breeder: William D. Graham

CH. C. 2, by Cupid – No Wonder (Three Wonders)

2021: 4 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $208,993

Winner: Grey S. (G3), Cup and Saucer S.

God of Love (113), Grafton Street (54), Ironstone (40)

Champion Three-Year-Old Female: MUNNYFOR RO           

Trainer: Kevin Attard

Owner:  Raroma Stable 

Breeder: Daybar, LTD.

CH. F. 3, by Munnings – Repartee (Distorted Humor)


2021: 10 Starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds – $548,561 

Winner: Ontario Damsel S., Wonder Where S., Woodbine Oaks, MSW

Munnyfor Ro (118), Our Flash Drive (69), Lorena (27)

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: FROSTED OVER  

Trainer: Mark Casse

Owner: Gary Barber

Breeder: G. Watts Humphrey Jr.

B. C. 3, by Frosted- Candy Crush (Candy Ride *Arg)

2021: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds – $168,786 

Winner: Ontario Derby (G3), ALW, MSW

Frosted Over (123), Uncharacteristic (35), Artie’s Storm (35), Haddassah (18)

Outstanding Broodmare: AVIE’S EMPIRE      

DK. B. M. 2008 by  Empire Maker – Fly for Avie (Lord Avie) 

3 Starters, 3 Winners, 1 Champion, 1 Graded Blacktype winner, 1 Blacktype winner, 1 Graded Blacktype placed

Progeny earnings $1,430,306

Avie’s Empire was bred by Sovereign Award-winning breeder Ivan Dalos under his stable name, Tall Oaks Farm. A daughter of Grade 1 winner Fly for Avie, who raced for Dalos. Avie’s Empire never made the races, but has been a gem in the breeding shed. Avie’s Empire’s son Avie’s Flatter (Flatter), the Champion 2-Year-Old of 2018, was a double graded winner in 2021 taking the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes. Avie’s Empire is also the dam of 2018 Wonder Where Stakes winner Avie’s Mineshaft (Mineshaft) and Avie’s Mesa (Sky Mesa), who was second in the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes. Avie’s Empire has a 2022 foal by Tapit.

Avie’s Empire (72), Include Katherine (71), Sunday Affair (28)

Outstanding Breeder: SAM-SON FARM

Starters 52; Winners 31

278 Starts; 45 Wins; 48 Seconds; 32 Thirds

Earnings $2,671,554

More than half a century since Sam-Son Farms was founded by the late Ernie Samuel, the iconic Canadian farm remains at the top of the charts of leading breeders. Horses foaled on the Milton, Ontario farm earned over $2.6 million in 2021 and there were 31 winners from 52 starters. Say the Word, the 2020 Champion Turf Male in Canada, won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar and Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland for Sam-Son and co-owners Agave Racing. The son of More Than Ready was also second in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile. The exciting Messier, a 2-year-old colt by Empire Maker, won the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes and Rideforthecause and Curlin’s Catch were other Stakes winners bred by Sam-Son. 

Sam-Son Farm (123), Adena Springs (35), Tall Oaks Farm (31)

Champion Female Sprinter: AMALFI COAST

Trainer: Kevin Attard

Owner:  Tracy Farmer

Breeder: Terra Farms Ltd. 

CH. M. 5, by Tapizar – Include Katherine (Include)

2021: 5 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $246,763

Winner: Ontario Fashion S. (G3), Royal North S. (G2)

Amalfi Coast (116), Our Secret Agent (60), Lorena (22)

Champion Male Sprinter: PINK LLOYD           

Trainer: Robert P. Tiller

Owner:  Entourage Stable

Breeder: John Carey 

CH. G. 9, by Old Forester – Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)  

2021: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds – $289,742 

Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Ontario Jockey Club S., Bold Venture S. (G3)

Pink Lloyd (117), Avie’s Flatter (57), Souper Stonehenge (37)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: MAURICIO MALVAEZ 

252 Starts; 28 Wins; 34 Seconds; 34 Thirds

Earnings $470,225

A winner of the 2020 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, Mauricio Malvaez switched over to riding racehorses in 2019 after a promising boxing career. The son of jockey Marcos Malvaez had his first full season of riding in 2020 in Alberta and rode Real Grace to a big win in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby. Mauricio bettered his 2020 totals in 2021 riding 19 winners at Century Mile, including Canadian Juvenile Stakes winner Asyoubelieve. He then moved his tack to Woodbine Racetrack in mid-September. In 2021 he won 28 races, leading all apprentice riders in Canada.

Mauricio Malvaez (136), Michael David (59), Edgar Zenteno (43)

Outstanding Jockey: KAZUSHI KIMURA 

722 Starts; 140 Wins; 98 Seconds; 99 Thirds

Earnings $5,152,154; Stakes wins 8

Following only his fourth season as a jockey in Canada, Kazushi Kimura has earned his first nomination as Outstanding Jockey. Already a two-time winner of the Outstanding Apprentice Sovereign Award and an Eclipse Award winner for top apprentice, the Japanese-born rider’s 140 victories easily topped all Canadian riders. His mounts earned over $5.1 million in purses. Kazushi’s eight stakes wins included a win in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby aboard Gary Barber’s Frosted Over. He also won the Grade 3 Hendrie on Barber’s Our Secret Agent. Kazushi maintained an impressive 19 percent win rate in 2021.

Kazushi Kimura (116), Rafael Manuel Hernandez (58), Patrick Husbands (25), Justin Stein (25)

Champion Female Turf Horse: JOLIE OLIMPICA      

Trainer: Josie Carroll

Owner: Shimokobe Farm                                                  

Breeder: Stud T N T

CH. M. 5, by Drosselmeyer – Jolie Celina *Brz (Trempolino)

2021: 5 Starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third – $118,987 

Winner: Nassau S. (G2)

Jolie Olimpica (92), Amalfi Coast (56), Our Flash Drive (50)

Champion Male Turf Horse: TOWN CRUISE  

Trainer: Brandon Evan Greer

Owner: Brandon Greer

Breeder: Terrance Reg Greer & Brandon Evan Greer

CH. G. 6, by Town Prize – Candy Cruise (Candy Ride *Arg)

2021: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds – $704,953 

Winner: Woodbine Mile S. (G1), ALW/OC, ALW

Town Cruise (127), Avie’s Flatter (62), Silent Poet (24)

Outstanding Trainer: MARK E. CASSE

540 Starts; 110 Wins; 80 Seconds; 67 Thirds

Earnings $6,525,302; Stakes wins 27

Mark Casse sent out the winners of a staggering 27 stakes races, a personal record for his Woodbine stable, and his trainees won 110 races, also a new career top. His Canadian runners earned over $6.5 million. He is the trainer of the impressive 2-year-old Canadian-bred colt God of Love, who won the Grey Stakes (G3) and the Cup and Saucer Stakes for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber. The Casse stable, under the watchful eyes of assistants David Adams and Kathryn Sullivan, developed many horses into graded stakes winners. Stable stars included two-time graded stakes winner Our Flash Drive, Mazarine Stakes (G3) winner Mrs. Barbara, Skygaze winner of the Maple Leaf Stakes (G3), Souper Stonehenge winner of the Vigil (G3) and Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) and Frosted Over, who took the Ontario Derby (G3). 

Mark E. Casse (123), Kevin Attard (67), Josie Carroll (30)

Champion Older Main Track Female: SKYGAZE                  

Trainer: Mark E. Casse 

Owner:  Tracy Farmer

Breeder: Normandy Farm LLC

B. F. 4, by American Pharoah – Skyscape (Marquetry)

2021: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $179,200 

Winner: Maple Leaf S. (G3), Belle Mahone S., ALW/OC

Skygaze (106), Amalfi Coast (73), Infinite Patience (29)

Champion Older Main Track Male: MIGHTY HEART            

Trainer: Josie Carroll

Owner: Lawrence Cordes 

Breeder: Lawrence Cordes 

B. C. 4, by Dramedy – Emma’s Bullseye (City Place) 

2021: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds – $377,361 

Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Dominion Day S. (G3), Blame S.

Mighty Heart (108), Pink Lloyd (60), Sir Winston (40)

 

 

Outstanding Owner: LIVE OAK PLANTATION

68 Starts; 19 Wins; 7 Seconds; 4 Thirds

Earnings $1,403,812; Stakes wins 7

Live Oak Plantation, owned by Charlotte Weber, won its first Sovereign Award for Outstanding Owner in 2020 and had an even more lucrative season with its Canadian starters in 2021. Live Oak, located in Ocala, Florida, won 19 races from 68 starters, including seven stakes races. Leading the charge for the stable was Our Flash Drive, trained by Mark Casse, who won the Selene Stakes (G3) on Tapeta and the Ontario Colleen Stakes (G2) on the turf. Live Oak’s homebred gelding Souper Stonehenge won the Vigil Stakes (G3) and Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3). Another top runner for Live Oak in 2021 was Souper Escape. Other stakes winners for the farm included March to the Arch and Tap It to Win.

Live Oak Plantation (100), Gary Barber (61), Godolphin, LLC (35)

 

Horse of the Year: MIGHTY HEART

Trainer: Josie Carroll

Owner: Lawrence Cordes 

Breeder: Lawrence Cordes 

B. C. 4, by Dramedy – Emma’s Bullseye (City Place) 

2021: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds – $377,361 

Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Dominion Day S. (G3), Blame S.

Mighty Heart (63), Pink Lloyd (55), Town Cruise (34)

2021 Sovereign Awards Finalists

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce that Ivan Dalos will be presented with the E. P. Taylor Award of Merit

Denzil Fonseca is the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Groom Award sponsored by OLG.

The Jockey Club of Canada Announces 2021 Sovereign Awards Finalists

Listed in alphabetical order, the Media finalists are:

Digital Audio/visual and Broadcast Category:

• Peter Gross – Down The Stretch Episode 83

• Horse Racing Alberta – 25^th Anniversary Alberta Breeders Fall Classic

• Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen’s Plate

Photograph Category:

• Jeff Bowen – I’vegotmyeyeonyou

• Rebecca Gullett – Going the Distance

• Will Wong – Welcome Back

Writing Category:

• Hayley Morrison – New Races, New Faces: How I Fell for The Fort

• Jennifer Morrison – Run With a Mighty Heart

• Susan Stafford-Pooley – The View (and Some Tales) from the Starting Gate

• Curtis Stock – Real Grace’s Winning Ways an Inspiration for Brown to Keep Fighting Terminal Diagnosis

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 Sovereign Awards honouring Canada’s champions and recognizing their outstanding achievements in Canadian Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding. 

The winner of each category, along with Canada’s Horse of the Year for 2021, will be announced during our 47th Annual Sovereign Award Ceremony that will be held on the evening of Thursday, April 14, 2022 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario. To purchase tickets online please visit the Online Payments tab above.

The finalists in each of the following categories are listed in alphabetical order.

 Champion Two-Year-Old Female

Diabolic

Moira

Mrs. Barbara

Champion Two-Year-Old Male

God of Love

Grafton Street

Ironstone

Champion Three-Year-Old Female

Lorena

Munnyfor Ro

Our Flash Drive

Champion Three-Year-Old Male

Artie’s Storm

Frosted Over

Haddassah

Uncharacteristic

Champion Older Main Track Female

Amalfi Coast

Infinite Patience

Skygaze

Champion Older Main Track Male

Mighty Heart 

Pink Lloyd

Sir Winston

Champion Female Turf Horse

Amalfi Coast

Jolie Olimpica 

Our Flash Drive

Champion Male Turf Horse

Avie’s Flatter

Silent Poet

Town Cruise

Champion Female Sprinter

Amalfi Coast

Lorena

Our Secret Agent

Champion Male Sprinter

Avie’s Flatter

Pink Lloyd

Souper Stonehenge

Outstanding Broodmare

Avie’s Empire

Include Katherine

Sunday Affair

Outstanding Breeder

Adena Springs

Sam-Son Farm

Tall Oaks Farm

Outstanding Owner

Barber, Gary

Godolphin, LLC

Live Oak Plantation

Outstanding Trainer

Attard, Kevin

Carroll, Josie

Casse, Mark E.

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey

David, Michael

Malvaez, Mauricio

Zenteno, Edgar

Outstanding Jockey

Hernandez, Rafael Manuel

Husbands, Patrick

Kimura, Kazushi

Stein, Justin

Horse of the Year The Horse of the Year finalists will be announced during the 47th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony.

The 2021 Media Awards finalists, the winner of the Award for Outstanding Groom and this year’s E. P. Taylor Award and Special Sovereign Award winners will be announced on or before February 15, 2022! 

46th Annual Sovereign Awards

The Canadian Graded Stakes Committee Announces Two Upgrades from Black Type to Listed Status for 2021

For a full list of the 2021 Graded Stakes click HERE

Section 31 Information and Minister Email Forms

45th Annual Sovereign Awards

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the 2019 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented. 

Outstanding Photograph:
MICHAEL R. BYE

Cyclone Dan Winner of the 3rd Race J. Gomez up

Published, August 24^th, hbpabc.ca

Outstanding Writing:
DAVE BRIGGS

Royal victory for the quintessential “small guy”

Published, August/September 2019 Issue of Canadian Thoroughbred Magazine

Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast:

WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT 
The Queen’s Plate
https://bcove.video/2sfG0RH

Outstanding Groom Award: Michael Williams
Well-known groom Michael Williams (Fuzzy) has worked with some of Woodbine’s top owners and trainers in Canada including Stronach Stables, Dan Vella and Mike Doyle.  Leaving his home in Jamaica early in the 1970’s, Michael travelled to Canada to begin work as a machine operator.  His interest in horseracing led Michael to his first job at Woodbine racetrack walking hots. Michael credits graded stakes winner Ask Muhammad, son of Al Hattab, as the horse who helped him to learn about racing.

His big smile and prominent hats are almost as famous as his successful horsemanship. Michael’s limitless patience and kindness resulted in many happy horses at Woodbine Racetrack.  

Outstanding Handicapper: Paul Shurman

Paul hails from Dix Hills, New York and is a long-time member of the NHC Players’ Committee. He has been untiring in his efforts to work with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and racetracks throughout the continent to improve contest experiences for all and to boost the profiles of his fellow tournament players. 

Paul won the 2019 Saratoga Tournament which netted him a $109,000 first-place prize, and he finished seventh in the year-long NHC tour. Additionally, Paul leads in the NHC ranking system as the number one tournament player having qualified 17 times in its 21-year history and winning in 2011.

Special Sovereign Award: Harvey Warner

To say that Mr. Harvey Warner was a major player in the revival of Assiniboia Downs and horse racing in Winnipeg, Manitoba would not be an overstatement.

In 1994, privately owned, Assiniboia Downs was in receivership and destined to close but a small group of concerned horse people, which included Mr. Warner, officially formed the Manitoba Jockey Club (MJC), mandated to attempt to purchase and host live racing.

The group worked tirelessly, lobbying government officials and meeting with the track’s financiers. Mr. Warner became the voice of the MJC and eventually its president. He led the MJC to achieve its final goal and make Assiniboia Downs a not-for-profit entity. 

He became immersed not just in owning horses but in the workings of racing in Manitoba, serving as president of the Winnipeg Horseman’s Club from 1982-85, and as a voice on the Manitoba Horse Council Board. He was a member of the Manitoba HBPA Board from 1989 to 1992 and is currently a Jockey Club of Canada Steward.

Outstanding Broodmare: Loving Vindication

DK. B. M. 2005 

by Vindication – Chimichurri (Elusive Quality)

6 foals, 3 starters, 3 winners, 

1 Champion, 2 Graded Black-Type Winners, 1 Black-Type Winner

Progeny Earnings $1,994,575

A finalist in this category multiple times, Anderson Farms’, Loving Vindication has become of one Canada’s most successful broodmares early in her career. From her three foals to race, Loving Vindication’s G1 winning daughter Hard Not to Love, won the La Brea Stakes and has won four of five starts. Loving Vindication had already etched her name in Canadian racing history books as the dam of 2018 Horse of the Year and Queen’s Plate winner Wonder Gadot who earned over $1.5 million for owner Gary Barber. Loving Vindication’s first foal is stakes winner Solemn Tribute.

Loving Vindication (135), Cumulonimble (63), Avie’s Empire (45)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Kazushi Kimura

Starts 717; Wins 117; 2^nd 109; 3^rd 99

Earnings $3,742,671

Winner of the 2019 Eclipse Award for North America’s Outstanding Apprentice of 2019, Kazushi Kimura seeks his second consecutive Sovereign Award. Learning to ride at the Japan Racing School in Shiroi City, Chiba, Kazushi burst onto the Canadian scene in 2018 winning 104 races, an achievement he surpassed in 2019. Before his apprenticeship ended on Oct. 26, 2019, Kazushi won 117 races and ended the season as a journeyman with an impressive 148 wins, landing as Woodbine’s third leading rider. 

Kazushi Kimura (182), Daisuke Fukumoto (91), Shavon Belle (27)

Champion Older Main Track Male: Pink Lloyd
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner:  Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey 
Ch. g. 7 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)

2019: 6 Starts – 6 wins – 0 second – 0 third – $501,000
Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Kenora S., Shepperton S., Vigil S. (G3), Greenwood S., Jacques Cartier S. (G3)

Pink Lloyd (134), Mr. Ritz (85), Special Forces (52) 

Champion Older Main Track Female: Here’s Hannah
Trainer: John Morrison

Owner:  B C Stables

Breeder: B C Stables 

Ch. f. 4 / Sire: Numaany / Dam: Dreams Start Here (A Fleets Dancer)


2019: 6 Starts – 5 wins – 1 second – 0 third – $215,000
Winner: Ballerina S. (G3), British Columbia Cup Distaff H., Monashee H., Strawberry Morn H., Vancouver Sun S.

Here’s Hannah (132), Lift Up (128), She’s the Berries (36)

Outstanding Trainer: Mark Casse

Starts 496; Wins 92; 2nd 91; 3rd 69

Earnings $5,122,598 Stakes wins 12

An 11-time winner of this category, trainer Mark Casse has dominated Canadian racing over the past decade.  In 2019 Casse Racing once again led all trainers in purse earnings, collecting $5.1 million with 92 victories and 12 stakes wins in Canada.  Among his stakes winners was 2019 Sovereign Award finalists, Muskoka Gold, winner of the Cup & Saucer Stakes and She’s the Berries, winner of the Classy ‘n Smart S. Stakes winners Speedy Soul, Miss Mo Mentum and Power Gal (Jpn) also contributed to Mark’s success.

Mark Casse (142), Kevin Attard (108), Norman McKnight (31)

Champion Male Turf Horse: El Tormenta
Trainer: Gail Cox

Owner:  Sam-Son Farm

Breeder: Sam-Son Farm 

Dk. b or b. g. 4 / Sire: Stormy Atlantic / Dam: Torreadora (El Prado*Ire)


2019: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 third – $941,828
Winner: Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. (G1), Connaught Cup S. (G2)

 El Tormenta (170), Tiz a Slam (78), Global Access (23)

Champion Female Turf Horse: Starship JubileeTrainer: Kevin Attard

Owner:  Blue Heaven Farm

Breeder: William P. Sorren 

B. m. 6 / Sire: Indy Wind
/ Dam: Perfectly Wild (Forest Wildcat)


2019: 7 Starts – 3 wins – 3 second – 1 third – $746,460
Winner: E. P. Taylor S. (G1), Canadian S. (G2), Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S.

Starship Jubilee (170), Holy Helena (70), Amalfi Coast (35)

Outstanding Breeder: Sam-Son Farm
Starters 55; Winners 28

Earnings $3,238,854

Starts 284; Wins 44; 2^nd 39; 3^rd 36

A nine-time winner in this category, Sam-Son Farm had a spectacular year in 2019 winning 44 races and earning over $3.2 million in purses. Sam-Son was represented by seven stakes horses including 2019 Champion Male Turf finalist, El Tormenta, winner of the G1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile S.; Desert Ride, winner of the 2019 Woodbine Oaks and a finalist in the Champion Three-Year-Old Female category; and Cleopatra’s Strike, bred by Sam-Son and owned by Slam Dunk Stable and Michael Nentwig, and winner of the G2 John Henry Turf Championship.

Sam-Son Farm (121), Tall Oaks Farm (91), Chiefswood Stables Limited (55)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Mr. Hustle

Trainer: Roger L. Attfield

Owner:  William K. Werner

Breeder: V. Gail Ray 

Dk. b or b. g. 2 / Sire: Declaration of War
/ Dam: Ready Ready Ready (More Than Ready)


2019: 3 Starts – 3 wins – 0 second- 0 third – $162,600

Winner: Soaring Free S., Victoria S., MSW 

Mr. Hustle (122), Muskoka Gold (95), Dotted Line (64)

Champion Two-Year-Old Female: Curlin’s Voyage
Trainer: Josie Carroll

Owner:  Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing

Breeder: Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. 

Ch. f. 2 / Sire: Curlin
/ Dam: Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic)


2019: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second- 1 third – $265,120

Winner: Ontario Lassie S., Mazarine S. (G3), MSW 

Curlin’s Voyage (115), Infinite Patience (100), Owlette (42)

Outstanding Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva

Starts 746; Wins 183; 2^nd 156; 3^rd 108
Earnings $7,446,774; Stakes wins 19

A six-time winner in this category, the Brazilian-born champion rider is up for another trophy just months after retiring from riding. In 2019, he captured 19 stakes victories including the G1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. aboard El Tormenta. Also, he was the regular rider of multiple stakes winner Pink Lloyd who is a finalist again this evening, as well as, Amalfi Coast, a finalist in three 2019 Sovereign Award categories.

Eurico Rosa Da Silva (182), Rafael Hernandez (64), Patrick Husbands (32)

Champion Male Sprinter: Pink Lloyd

Trainer: Robert P. Tiller

Owner:  Entourage Stable

Breeder: John Carey 

Ch. g. 7 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)


2019: 6 Starts – 6 wins – 0 second – 0 third – $501,000
Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Kenora S., Shepperton S., Vigil S. (G3), Greenwood S., Jacques Cartier S. (G3)

Pink Lloyd (180), Silent Poet (43), Yorkton (27)

Champion Female Sprinter: Summer Sunday
Trainer: Stuart Simon

Owner:  Scott Anne and William J

Breeder: Trinity West Stables LTD 

B. f. 4 / Sire: Silent Name*Jpn / Dam: Dancing Allstar (Millennium Allstar)


2019: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 third – $317,550
Winner: Royal North S. (G2), Hendrie S. (G3), Ballade S.

Summer Sunday (152), Amalfi Coast (82), Here’s Hannah (23), Sister Peacock (23) 

Outstanding Owner: Sam-Son Farm 

Starts 81: Wins 13; 2nd 12; 3rd 8 

Earnings $2,018,884 Stakes wins 5 

An 11-time winner of this category Sam-Son Farm had a spectacular season in 2019 winning five stakes races and collecting purse earning of over $2 million. Sam-Son Farm’s homebred stakes winners include El Tormenta, a finalist in the 2019 Champion Turf Male category and winner of the G1 Woodbine Mile S. and the G2 Connaught Cup; Desert Ride winner of two-thirds of the Triple Tiara and contender for 2019 Champion Three-Year-Old Female, as well as, Zadracarta S. winner Desert Isle.

Sam-Son Farm (117), Chiefswood Stables Limited (115), Stronach Stables (25)

E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: Charles E. Fipke

Much like the passion he has for unearthing diamonds Charles ‘Chuck’ Fipke has a similar obsession for finding the best pedigrees to make the perfect racehorse.

Born in Edmonton, Mr. Fipke grew up in Kelowna, B.C. and followed his horse passion when he bought a yearling filly. His stable of homebreds has since grown exponentially and now are seen regularly on the international racing stage. 

Selecting the matings himself with help from mountains of statistics and a couple of close advisors. Mr. Fipke has bred dozens of major winners and champions including Perfect Soul (Ire) Canada’s Champion Turf Male in 2003 and is the sire of Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl; Not Bourbon gave Mr. Fipke his first Queen’s Plate win (2008) and is now a stallion; Forever Unbridled, also a Breeders’ Cup winner, earned over $3.4 million. He has bred and developed top stallions and his current stable includes Grade 1 winner Seeking the Soul.

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Global Access

Trainer: Michael Trombetta

Owner:  Live Oak Plantation

Breeder: Live Oak Stud 

Ch. c. 3 / Sire: Giant’s Causeway / Dam: Daveron*Ger (Black Sam Bellamy*Ire)


2019: 9 Starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 3 third – $383,000
Winner: Ontario Derby (G3), Saranac S. (G3), Marine S. (G3), DRF Bet Sophomore Turf S.

Global Access (141), Tone Broke (125), Explode (40) 

Champion Three-Year-Old Female: Desert Ride
Trainer: Neil J. Howard

Owner:  Sam-Son Farm

Breeder: Sam-Son Farm 

B. f. 3 / Sire: Candy Ride*Arg
/ Dam: Fun in the Desert (Distorted Humor)


2019: 7 Starts – 4 wins – 1 second- 0 third – $541,220 
Winner: Wonder Where S., Woodbine Oaks, Allowance, MSW 

Desert Ride (133), Amalfi Coast (110), Hidden Grace (28) 

Horse of The Year: Starship Jubilee
Trainer: Kevin Attard

Owner:  Blue Heaven Farm

Breeder: William P. Sorren 

B. m. 6 / Sire: Indy Wind
/ Dam: Perfectly Wild (Forest Wildcat)


2019: 7 Starts – 3 wins – 3 second – 1 third – $746,460
Winner: E. P. Taylor S. (G1), Canadian S. (G2), Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S.

Starship Jubilee (108), Pink Lloyd (105), El Tormenta (53)

• Update

  45th Annual Sovereign Awards to be Announced Virtually on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. (EST)

  The Jockey Club of Canada will present the 45th Annual Sovereign Awards, honouring Canada’s champions and recognizing their 2019 outstanding achievements in Canadian Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Winners of the twenty-four Sovereign Awards categories will be announced live during a virtual ceremony, at 8:00 p.m. (EST).

  We invite you to join us in watching the ceremony streamed live at Woodbine.com and HPItv Canada. A digital program will be available for download at https://jockeyclubcanada.com prior to the event. 

  We would like to thank our dedicated Sponsors and Advertisers for continuing to support the Sovereign Awards during these difficult times.

  2019 Sovereign Awards Sponsors 

  Platinum Plus: Woodbine Entertainment

  Platinum: HBPA of Ontario

  Gold Sponsors: Ontario Racing; Sam-Son Farm

  Silver Sponsors: Earle I Mack; Manitoba Jockey Club

  Bronze Sponsors: Anderson Farms; Casse Racing; Cavalier Transportation; CTHS Ontario; Document Direction Limited; Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry; Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC); Goldman, Sloan, Nash and Harber LLP(GSNH); Highfield Investment Limited; Hill ‘n’ Dale; Josham Farms Limited; Purina; The Jockey Club; WinStar

  Update

  Due to the closure of non-essential businesses in Ontario, effective Tuesday, March 23, 2020, The Jockey Club of Canada office has temporarily close to public access and JCC members until further notice. Our staff will be working remotely with continued response to voicemail email. If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with our staff please email jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 416-675-7756.

  45^th Annual Sovereign Awards Postponed Until Further Notice.

  In response to the growing concerns about the coronavirus, COVID-19, The Jockey Club of Canada’s 45^th Annual Sovereign Awards, scheduled for April 16, 2020, will be postponed until further notice. 

  The health and safety of our finalists, our guests and their families are of the utmost importance and we feel this is a necessary precaution in the current situation. We would like to assure all our stakeholders that we will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves and will provide regular updates throughout. 

  Once an alternate date has been confirmed the Sovereign Awards ceremony will take place in its entirety and the winners of each Sovereign Awards category will be announced during the ceremony.

  45th Annual Sovereign Awards Finalists Announced

  2019 Finalists

  Listed in alphabetical order, the finalists are:

  Champion Two-Year-Old Female:

  Curlin’s Voyage
  Infinite Patience
  Owlette

  Champion Two-Year-Old Male:

  Dotted Line
  Mr. Hustle
  Muskoka Gold

  Champion Three-Year-Old Female: 

  Amalfi Coast
  Desert Ride
  Hidden Grace

  Champion Three-Year-Old Male:

  Explode
  Global Access
  Tone Broke

  Champion Older Main Track Female:

  Here’s Hannah 
  Lift Up
  She’s the Berries

  Champion Older Main Track Male:

  Mr Ritz
  Pink Lloyd
  Special Forces

  Champion Female Turf Horse:

  Amalfi Coast
  Holy Helena
  Starship Jubilee

  Champion Male Turf Horse:

  El Tormenta
  Global Access
  Tiz a Slam

  Champion Female Sprinter:

  Amalfi Coast
  Here’s Hannah
  Sister Peacock
  Summer Sunday

  Champion Male Sprinter:

  Pink Lloyd
  Silent Poet
  Yorkton

  Outstanding Broodmare:

  Avie’s Empire 
  Cumulonimble
  Loving Vindication

  Outstanding Breeder:

  Chiefswood Stables Limited 
  Sam-Son Farm
  Tall Oaks Farm

  Outstanding Owner:

  Chiefswood Stables Limited 
  Sam-Son Farm
  Stronach Stables 

  Outstanding Trainer:

  Kevin Attard 
  Mark E. Casse
  Norman McKnight

  Outstanding Apprentice Jockey:

  Shavon Belle
  Daisuke Fukumoto
  Kazushi Kimura  

  Outstanding Jockey:

  Eurico Rosa Da Silva
  Rafael Manuel Hernandez 
  Patrick Husbands

  Horse of the Year:

  Finalists to be announced during the 45th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony

  2019 Media Finalists

  Listed in alphabetical order, the finalists are:

  Writing Category:

  • Dave Briggs – Royal Victory for the Quintessential “small guy”

  • Chris Lomon – Thoroughbred Racing’s Beautiful Bond

  • Hayley Morrison – Walcott Worry-Free After Surviving Brain Tumour

  Digital Audio/visual and Broadcast Category:

  • Horse Racing Alberta – Canadian Derby Invader

  • Horse Racing Radio Network – 160^th Queen’s Plate

  • Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen’s Plate

  Photograph Category:

  • Michael Bye – Cyclone Dan Winner of the 3rd Race J. Gomez up

  • Rebecca Brown – Lenny Seecharan, Hastings 2019

  • Alex Urosovic – Ricoh Woodbine Mile

  The judging for the 2019 Media Awards was performed by Professors of the Journalism Program at the School of Media Studies & Information Technology, Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  Charles E. Fipke to be honored with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit and Harvey Warner to be honoured with the Special Sovereign Award

  The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce that Charles E. Fipke will be presented with the E. P. Taylor Award of Merit and Harvey Warner will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award in recognition of their outstanding commitment to the Thoroughbred Industry in Canada. 

  Selected by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit honours those who have accomplished outstanding individual achievements and have made a significant contribution to the thoroughbred industry in Canada. Charles E. Fipke has been involved in the Canadian Thoroughbred Industry for close to forty years. Among his accomplishments he has bred and owned three Sovereign Award-winners including 2008 Champion Three-Year-Old Male and winner of the 2008 Queen’s Plate, Not Bourbon; 2010 Champion Older Female, Impossible Time; and 2003 Champion Male Turf Horse, Perfect Soul who went on to become a successful sire. Also, Mr. Fipke bred and owned a number of other successful racehorses including the winner of the 2011 Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Turf GI, Perfect Shirl. 

  Selected by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the Special Sovereign Award recognizes significant contribution to the Canadian Thoroughbred Industry. Harvey Warner has been actively involved in the thoroughbred industry in Canadasince 1971. Throughout this time he has served as the President of the Winnipeg Horseman’s Club, spent time as a member of the Manitoba Horse Council Board and sat on the Board of the HBPA of Manitoba. In 1994 Mr. Warner was a driving force behind the formation of the Manitoba Jockey Club which assumed ownership and operations of Assiniboia Downs. Currently, Mr. Warner is the President of the Manitoba Jockey Club and a Steward for The Jockey Club of Canada.

  45th Annual Sovereign Awards Sponsors

  PLATINUM PLUS

  

  PLATINUM

  

  GOLD

  

  

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  BRONZE

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Tickets to the 45th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony are $250 each, with tables of ten discounted to $2000. Early-Bird tickets are also available for a discounted price of $225 until March 15, 2020. Tickets can be purchased through the website or by contacting the Jockey Club of Canada office at 416-675-7756 or jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com

  

  The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.

  -30-

• 2018 Sovereign Award Winners
   

  2018 Sovereign Award Winners

   

  To watch a replay of the Awards Ceremony CLICK HERE

    The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 44th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on Thursday, April 18, 2019 at Vaughan’s elegant Chateau Le Jardin. We are pleased to announce the 2018 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.   (Media) Outstanding Photograph: Santino Di Paola – Into the Turn   Published, ontarioracing.com  (Media) Outstanding Writing: Hayley Morrison – Hail to the War Horses Published, Canadian Thoroughbred Magazine, February 2018 (Media)Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast: Horse Racing Radio Network – 159^th Queen’s Plate Published, horseracingradio.net   The Jockey Club of Canada Scholarship Award: Bobby Mihalik Bobby Mihalik earned the inaugural award at the School of Media Studies and Information Technology, Humber Institute of Advanced Technology and Advanced Learning. Mihalik’s lifelong passion for writing is driven by the enjoyment of learning about editing for both print and online. He shared that his time as editor-in-chief of his class’s summer newsroom “was also enjoyable for me as it helped develop both my editing and proofreading skills, as well as how to effectively manage others.”   Outstanding Groom Award:Amanda Erwin Amanda has been working on the racetrack since she was 10-years-old on the backstretch with her father the https://good-name.org, trainer Dennis Erwin, walking hots and learning about grooming. She was a teenager when she moved to the stable of successful trainer Mike Keogh, whom she continues to work for today. During her career, Amanda groomed Canadian stars such as the 2003 Horse of the Year Wando, who became the seventh Canadian Triple Crown winner since the series was inaugurated in 1959.  She also cared for the 1999 Queen’s Plate winner and Champion 3-year-old Woodcarver. “There is something so special about seeing a racehorse from a young age and watching them develop,” said Erwin. “I strive to keep the horses happy, calm and enjoy their job.”   Outstanding Handicapper: Nick Noce Nick Noce has always been fond of Woodbine. On July 21, 2018 he finished first of 106 entries in Woodbine’s Mid-Summer Horseplayers Tournament. “I just love Woodbine. I don’t usually miss one of their tournaments,” said Noce, who first began playing contests at Penn National in the 1990s. Nick has always been a racing fan, and the Rochester, New York resident has also worked in the industry for 25 years. He started out at Western Regional Off-Track Betting selling pari-mutuel tickets to Western New York State horseplayers, and eventually worked his way up to Chief Financial Officer. No longer working in the industry Nick, a self-professed “weekend warrior”, still looks for any opportunity to spend a day playing the races.   E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: Gustav Schickedanz Arriving in Canada at the age of 21, Gustav (Gus) Schickedanz built a successful career in land development as a bricklayer and stonemason. Gus first purchased Canadian-bred yearlings at auction in the 1970s and prepared them to race at his Schonberg Farm in Nobleton, ON. In a matter of years he achieved his first stakes win with Victorious Answer, who also became his foundation broodmare. Gus’ successful homebred Langfuhr, was a multiple graded stakes winner and the 1996 Champion Male Sprinter.As asire, Langfuhr produced six champions including Wando, the seventh winner of the Canadian Triple Crown and 2003 Horse of the Year and Woodcarver, Champion Three-Year-Old Male and winner of the 1999 Queen’s Plate. Gus has bred multiple graded stakes winners including Gal In A Ruckus the only Canadian bred to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks Stakes and Jambalaya, the only Canadian bred to win the Grade 1 Arlington Million Handicap. Gus has also won multiple Sovereign Awards as an owner and breeder and was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.   Outstanding Broodmare: In Return Horse Chestnut (Saf) – Bartered Bride, by Shadeed Progeny Earnings $1,953,593 Owner:  Ivan Dalos Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm The late In Return was a winner on the track and a true gem in her breeding career. Her sons Channel Maker and Johnny Bear are both champions and Grade 1 winners. Channel Maker, 2017 Champion Three-Year-Old, won the 2018 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park and the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga. Johnny Bear won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes in 2018 for the second consecutive year and is the 2017 Champion Turf Male. In Return (101), Loving Vindication (86), Avie’s Empire (28)   Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Kazushi Kimura Starts (663); Wins (104); Seconds (84); Thirds (84) Earnings $2,451,326; Stakes win 1 It has been more than a decade since Canadian racing has had an apprentice jockey as dominant as Kazushi Kimura was in 2018. He learned to ride when he was just six-years-old at his parents training centre in Japan and polished his riding skills before arriving at Woodbine in 2018, winning his first race in June of that year. Other career highlights came with his first stakes victory in the Muskoka Stakes as well as, winning five races in one day on October 12^th. Kazushi Kimura (157), Daisuke Fukumoto (75), Lenny A. Seecharan (28)   Champion Older Male: Mr Havercamp DK. B. or B. g. 4 / Sire: Court Vision / Dam: Tennessee Lamb (Medaglia d’Oro) Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips Owner: Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry Breeder: Sean Fitzhenry 2018: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds – 0 third – $513,500 Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Play the King S. (G2), Steady Growth S. Mr Havercamp (123), Pink Lloyd (49), Tiz a Slam (38)   Champion Older Female:Escape Clause B. f. 4 / Sire: Going Commando / Dam: Danger Pay (Circulating) Trainer: Don Schnell Owner: Don Schnell, Barry Arnason and True North Breeder: Cam Ziprick & Arnason Farms 2018: 13 Starts – 9 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $265,419 Winner: Kathryn Crosby S., CTHS Sales S., Lynn Chouinard Founders Distaff H., Manitoba Matron S., City of Edmonton Distaff H., Distaff S., Winnipeg Sun S., Allowance Optional Claiming, La Verendrye S. Escape Clause (102), Gamble’s Ghost (81), Starship Jubilee (45)   Outstanding Trainer: Mark Casse Starts (Can) 517; Wins (106); Seconds (81); Thirds (74) Earnings $5,812,969; Stakes wins 22 A 10-time winner of this award, Mark Casse had another blockbuster season in 2018 with 106 Canadian winners and an incredible 22 stakes wins. Wonder Gadot stood at the top of her game winning the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. Casse completed the series with Neepawa’s win the Breeder’s Stakes. Also, among Casse’s stakes winners is Lookin to Strike and Shamrock Rose, the winner of the La Lorgnette Stakes who went on to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Mark Casse (134), Norman McKnight (70), Kevin Attard (29)   Champion Male Turf Horse: Mr Havercamp DK. B. or B. g. 4 / Sire: Court Vision / Dam: Tennessee Lamb (Medaglia d’Oro) Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips Owner: Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry Breeder: Sean Fitzhenry 2018: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds – 0 third – $513,500 Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Play the King S. (G2), Steady Growth S.  Mr Havercamp (126), Johnny Bear (75), Tiz a Slam (61)   Champion Female Turf Horse: Starship Jubilee B. f. 4 / Sire: Indy Wind / Dam: Perfectly Wild (Forest Wildcat) Trainer: Kevin Attard Owner: Blue Heaven Farm Breeder: William P. Sorren 2018: 8 Starts– 3 wins – 1 second – 0 third – $319,400 Winner:Canadian S. (G2), Starter Optional Claiming, Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S. Starship Jubilee (143), Niigon’s Eclipse (37), Dixie Moon (32)   Outstanding Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm Starters 48; Winners 27 Earnings $2,957,008 Starts (280); Wins (49); Seconds (32); Thirds (31) A three-time finalist in this category, Tall Oaks Farm, owned by Ivan Dalos had another stellar season with nine stakes horses and five are 2018 Sovereign Award finalists. Dalos, bred two Grade 1 winners, Channel Maker winner of the 2018 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Invitational and Johnny Bear, the winner of the 2017 and 2018 Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes. Tall Oaks Farm campaigned homebreds Avie’s Flatter, Avie’s Mineshaft and Gamble’s Ghost in 2018. Tall Oaks Farm (85), Adena Springs (64), Chiefswood Stables Limited (60)   Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Avie’s Flatter B. c. 2 / Sire: Flatter / Dam: Avie’s Empire (Empire Maker) Trainer: Josie Carroll Owner: Ivan Dalos Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm 2018: 4 Starts – 3 wins – 0 second – 0 third – $328,800 Winner: Coronation Futurity S., Cup and Saucer S., MSW Avie’s Flatter (143), Solidify (59), War of Will (50)   Champion Two-Year-Old Female:Bold Script GR/RO. f. 2 / Sire: Speightstown / Dam: Original Script (Malibu Moon) Trainer: Stuart Simon Owner:            Chiefswood Stables Breeder: Chiefswood Stables Limited 2018: 5 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $267,000 Winner: Princess Elizabeth S., MSW Bold Script (93), My Gal Betty (86), Tiz Breathtaking (69)   Outstanding Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva Starts (Can) (856); Wins (237); Seconds (173); Thirds (119) Earnings $8,345,386; Stakes wins 29 With a record-breaking season in 2018, he won his fourth consecutive Woodbine riding title and reached a career milestone winning his 2,000^thrace in September. Da Silva finished the season with 237 wins beating the previous record of 221 wins set in 1991. Among Da Silva’s racing stars is Sovereign Award finalists Avie’s Flatter, Pink Lloyd and Dixie Moon winner of the 2018 Woodbine Oaks. Eurico Rosa Da Silva (160), Rafael Hernandez (50), Luis Contreras (30)   Champion Male Sprinter: Pink Lloyd Ch. g. 6 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator) Trainer:  Robert P. Tiller Owner:  Entourage Stable Breeder: John Carey 2018: 8 Starts– 5 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $385,750 Winner: Kenora S., Vigil S. (G3), Achievement S., New Providence S., Jacques Cartier S. Pink Lloyd (123), Yorkton (57), Ikerrin Road (49)   Champion Female Sprinter: Moonlit Promise B. m. 5, by Malibu Moon – Smart Surprise (Smart Strike) Trainer: Josie Carroll Owner: Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing Breeder: Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. 2018: 9 Starts– 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $226,563 Winner: Bessarabian S. (G2), Sweet Briar Too S. Moonlit Promise (112), Code Warrior (54), Escape Clause (43)   Outstanding Owner:Chiefswood Stables Limited Starts (146); Wins (31); Seconds (23); Thirds (25) Earnings $2,586,506 Stakes wins 6 Winner of this award in 2017, Robert and Mark Krembil and their Chiefswood Stables had their most successful season to date in 2018. Surpassing their 2017 purse earnings by over $300,000, with six stakes wins, they finished on top of the owner’s standings at Woodbine by earnings. Chiefswood Stables and their five stakes winners were all up for 2018 Sovereign Awards including Bold Script 2018 Champion Two-Year-Old Female, Neepawa, Niigon’s Eclipse, Yorkton andmultiple graded stakes winner Tiz a Slam. Chiefswood Stables (100), Ivan Dalos (56), Gary Barber (53)   E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: William D. Graham Bill became hooked on horse racing after his honeymoon trip to Gulfstream Park with his late wife Valerie. Destined for success, Bill set out to purchase top class fillies. His early acquisitions were yearlings that went on to become talented racehorses and successful broodmares. For close to 50 years in the industry, Bill built Windhaven Farms in Caledon, ON and Lexington, KY, into one of the most respected and successful breeding operations in North America. Winning his first Sovereign Award in 1989, Bill continued his success with the 2012 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Breeder. Over the years, Bill owned and bred multiple champions including Conquest Harlanate and Uncaptured. Bill was involved in many industry organizations over the years and was the founder of the Canadian company, Graham Brothers Construction, the builders of Woodbine’s E. P. Taylor Turf Course. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2014. Bill Graham passed away on January 15, 2019 at the age of 81 and is dearly missed by his family, friends and the North American Thoroughbred community.   Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Sky Promise B. c. 3 / Sire: Sky Mesa / Dam: Maddie’s Promise (Dehere) Trainer: Robertino Diodoro Owner: Rick Wiest, Clayton Wiest, R 6 Stable and Norman Tremblay Breeder: Normandy Farm LLC 2018: 11 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 third – $280,714 Winner: British Columbia Derby (G3), Canadian Derby (G3), Manitoba Derby Sky Promise (111), Lookin to Strike (55), Neepawa (33)   Champion Three-Year-Old Filly: Wonder Gadot DK. B or B. f. 3 / Sire: Medaglia d’Oro / Dam: Loving Vindication (Vindication) Trainer: Mark Casse Owner: Gary Barber Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. 2018: 11 Starts – 2 wins – 4 seconds – 3 thirds – $1,403,200 Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen’s Plate S. Wonder Gadot (160), Dixie Moon (75), Here’s Hannah (19)   Horse of The Year:Wonder Gadot DK. B or B. f. 3 / Sire: Medaglia d’Oro / Dam: Loving Vindication (Vindication) Trainer: Mark Casse Owner: Gary Barber Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. 2018: 11 Starts – 2 wins – 4 seconds – 3 thirds – $1,403,200 Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen’s Plate S. Wonder Gadot (136), Mr Havercamp (30), Pink Lloyd (30)   The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.

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  For more information on The Jockey Club of Canada’s 44^thAnnual Sovereign Awards Ceremony contact Candice Dixon at 416-675-7756 or jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com.  

   
• The Jockey Club Adds $35 Fee to Support Aftercare
  The Jockey Club today announced that beginning with the 2018 breeding season, it will charge $35 for each mare reported bred by a stallion on the annual Report of Mares Bred form. The fee will supplement the industry support already provided by The Jockey Club for Thoroughbred aftercare initiatives, including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.). “The Jockey Club has examined its rate structure, and a fee for mares reported bred is consistent with fees required by other Thoroughbred breed registries worldwide,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “We are pleased to announce that proceeds of this fee will be used to support a host of aftercare initiatives.” “These funds will augment the great work already being done by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, which now accredits and grants funds to dozens of aftercare organizations each year,” said John Phillips, owner of Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Ky., president of TAA, and a member of the board of stewards of The Jockey Club. “Thoroughbred Charities of America strives to help Thoroughbreds throughout their lives by providing grants to aftercare facilities, employee programs, therapy programs, and equine research,” said Mike McMahon, president of TCA. “Thoroughbreds are my livelihood, and it is my duty and ours as an industry, to ensure they are cared for at every point of their careers, whether they are in training, in the breeding shed, or enjoying a second career or retirement.” “The Thoroughbred Incentive Program has done a tremendous job in furthering the careers of Thoroughbreds by giving owners and riders a goal to strive toward,” said Dell Hancock, Thoroughbred owner and breeder and initiator of T.I.P. “We should all be proud to support initiatives such as T.I.P., TAA, TCA, and any program that betters the lives of Thoroughbreds.” In coordination with The Jockey Club of Canada, funds raised from Canadian customers of The Jockey Club will be directed to Canadian Thoroughbred aftercare organizations to supplement their efforts, and likewise, funds from Puerto Rico will be dedicated to support Thoroughbreds at recognized programs in that commonwealth.
• 250th Anniversary of Horse Racing in Canada celebrated at Royal Horse Show
  This past Friday evening, the 250^th Anniversary of Horse Racing was showcased as part of the 95^th Annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto Under the lights and glamour of the Royal Horse Show, an exhibition celebrating the racing industry’s milestone anniversary included a combination of video, current and retired racehorses, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame members and a special presentation to the president of the RAWF. Three thoroughbreds and four Standardbreds completed an eight-lap commemorative mile while iconic race caller Dan Loiselle provided biographies about each horse’s race and post-race career, highlighting the versatility of the breeds and the importance of re-purposing once race careers conclude. Post-race activities ranged from show horse careers, including the 2017 Royal, for thoroughbreds, Highland Bay, Man Cave and Maple Tints competing in Thoroughbred confirmation and under saddle classes; and current road horse competitor Standardbred Rachel Lauren; pacer Spago Hall currently engaged with OHHA’s Hands On Horses/Wanna Drive program, providing opportunities for race track patrons to experience what it is like to ride behind a race horse; Calamar and Debi O’Brien-Moran, both familiar faces at tracks leading post parades; and trotter Lets Leavem who is still an active racing participant in both RUS and in harness for owner Sarah Town, including a win and new season mark at Flamboro the night following his trip to the Royal. Riders and drivers presenting the horses included Sheena Ryan, 2014 Sovereign Award winner as Apprentice Jockey, and Ron Waples, member of both the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the US Harness Racing Hall of Fame.  The performance concluded with introductions of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame members highlighting all aspects of the racing industry:  harness driver Bill O’Donnell, jockey Sandy Hawley, builder Lou Cauz, communicators Bill Galvin and Jim Bannon, Mrs. Lenore Armstrong, wife of the late H. Charles Armstrong, representing Armstrong Brothers and Mark Samuel, representing Sam-Son Farms. CHRHF president John Stapleton, presented a certificate acknowledging the Royal’s participation in the 250^th celebrations along with a special limited edition copy of the history paper on pre-confederation horse racing in Canada, commissioned as a 250^th anniversary initiative by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, to Royal Agricultural Winter Fair president Andrew McKee. Spearheaded by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, funding for the 250^th Anniversary of Horse Racing in Canada initiatives has been provided by:  Standardbred Canada, Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, HBPA Ontario, Central Ontario Standardbred Association, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Ontario Racing, OLG, Alberta Standardbred Horse Association, Harness Racing BC, The Jockey Club as well as individual donations.
• Ontario Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Launch New Online Video Series
  [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] The Ontario Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new initiative developed to promote the growth of horse racing in this province. The HBPA Board of Directors has decided to produce an online series aimed at attracting new owners to the Thoroughbred industry and new fans to the track. The series, Talkin’ Horses, will pick up from the HBPA’s award-winning television show of the same name which ran for three years on CTV Television. With the continued growth of social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, and the popularity of watching programming online and on-demand, the decision to offer the series digitally was made strategically to reach a millennial demographic. The show, which will have 10 episodes through the summer and fall, will be an energetic, fast-moving look at how to get into affordable racehorse ownership, handicapping a horse race and picking a winner – plus features on the people and horses in the sport and detailed previews of all the big races. The HBPA has contracted television and radio host Jason Portuondo and racing writer Jennifer Morrison, each from the television iteration of Talkin’ Horses, to produce the 2017 online series. It will be directed by the award-winning Alex Narvaez of Narvaez Productions, producer and editor of The Strombo Sessions with George Stroumboulopoulos and creator of short films, television series and promotional movies for the Toronto International Film Festival. For updates stay tuned on twitter and the HBPA (www.hbpa.on.ca) or Talkin Horses (www.talkinhorses.com) websites. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider admin_label=”Divider” _builder_version=”3.0.50″ show_divider=”on” color=”#891616″ divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” divider_weight=”5″ hide_on_mobile=”on” saved_tabs=”all” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]