CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF AWARDING THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN THOROUGHBRED RACING IN
The Jockey Club of Canada Welcomes You to the 50th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony
On behalf of Chief Steward, Doug Anderson and the Jockey Club of Canada Board of Stewards, we would like to congratulate all of the finalists and winners this evening.
We would like to extend a special thank you to our dedicated Sponsors and Advertisers for continuing to support the Sovereign Awards.
The Master Trophy
The Master Sovereign Award Trophy is a permanent fixture on display in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame located at the west entrance of Woodbine Racetrack. The Trophy is a symbol of the outstanding achievements of all Sovereign Award recipients from the past 50 years.
Affixed on the base of the Master Trophy are the names of the Horse of the Year recipients as well as the recipients of the E. P. Taylor Award of Merit (formerly the Man of the Year Award) and Special Sovereign Award.
The Sovereign Award Trophy
The Sovereign Award Trophy is a replica of St. Simon (1881-1908). St. Simon raced at age two and three and was undefeated in 10 starts.
His major racecourse accomplishment was his 20-length victory in the Ascot Gold Cup. He annihilated the field with such ease that his jockey was unable to pull him up after the 2 1/2 mile test. Highly regarded as a racehorse, it was as a stallion that St. Simon gained everlasting international fame.
The son of Galopin – St. Angels, by King Tom, headed the list of winners nine times and the maternal grandsire list on six occasions, records that have never been equaled. St. Simon, or one of his three sons, led the winners’ sire list sixteen times between 1890 and 1913.
The Sovereign Award Trophy is a bronze which was sculpted by local carver and award winning sculptor, the late Siegfried Puchta, a native of Germany who immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1953.
Only one Sovereign Award Trophy is to be presented to an individual or partnership in his or her lifetime. Any subsequent awards are to be noted by the addition of a Gold Sovereign Coin and a brass plate which are intended to be affixed to the individual’s or partnership’s original trophy.
Individual breeders or partnership breeders of a Sovereign Award winning horse will only receive one trophy in his or her lifetime. Breeders or breeding partnerships of subsequent award winners will receive a brass plate only which is intended to be affixed to the individual breeder or partnership breeder’s original trophy.
Only one Gold Sovereign or Trophy is to be awarded in any single year for the accomplishments of a horse, individual, or partnership. If a horse, individual or partnership is awarded in more than one category this is to be noted on individual brass plates intended to be affixed to the base of one trophy.
Century Mile May 2 - September 13
Century Downs September 20 - November 1
Purse Pool $7,100,000
Stakes Program $2,070,000
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Emma-Jayne Wilson
Emma-Jayne Wilson has firmly established herself as one of Canada’s all-time top jockeys in her 21 years in the saddle. In 2024, Emma-Jayne reached new heights when she passed National Museum of Horse Racing and Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone for all-time purse earnings ($US) for a female jockey.
“My success wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the hurdles Julie overcame. So, it’s not about besting the record she held, it’s about sharing and advocating. We’re both really strong advocates for equality for women in sport and in racing. It’s about showcasing this equality and how far we have come in racing. Horsemanship transcends gender,” Emma-Jayne remarked in an interview.
For this feat, and her contributions to the sport, The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to recognize Emma-Jayne Wilson with a Special Sovereign Award at the 50th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony.
Emma-Jayne’s record-setting moment came on July 11 at Woodbine, when she started the card just $11,042 shy of Julie Krone’s $90,126,584 mark. She came within whiskers of surpassing it in that day’s first race, when she and venerable gelding Lapochka were held off by a heartbreaking nose at the wire. Three races later, she was aboard Perfect Lady Bee, a first-time starter who settled off the pace and then responded to Emma-Jayne’s vintage strong finish to get up for the win. The victory vaulted her into history, and her current earnings total stands at $91,393,443.
It was fitting that Emma-Jayne was winning for Hall of Fame owner Charles Fipke and dual Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield, both longtime clients of hers.
“To capitalize and break this record with a win for these connections, you couldn’t have written a storybook any better,” an emotional Wilson said at the time. “I’m trying really hard not to show too much emotion. I’m so used to putting my emotions in the backseat to ride races and be completely focused one race to the next, but this one means so much to me.”
Emma-Jayne, originally from Brampton, Ontario, is no stranger to bringing home championship hardware. She burst onto the Woodbine racing scene in 2005, leading all riders as an apprentice jockey. She was recognized with both an Eclipse Award and Sovereign Award that year for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and took a second Sovereign in that category the following year. In 2007, Emma-Jayne guided longshot Mike Fox to victory in the Queen’s Plate, becoming the first woman rider to win Canada’s most coveted race. She was presented with the Avelino Gomez Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the sport by a jockey, in 2018.
And, Emma-Jayne has been invited to numerous jockey challenges around the world, including England, where she has been instrumental in the success of the Shergar Cup at Ascot; Hong Kong, where in 2007 she was the first ever female competitor in their Jockey Challenge; and the United States, where she won the first Pimlico Female Jockey Challenge in 2011.
Unfortunately, Emma-Jayne’s 2024 season came to an early end when she was injured in a spill. We wish her a speedy recovery and more success in 2025.
Julie Wright DRF
VOutstanding
VictorJames
ictor James was 19 years old when he left his homeland of Grenada to come to Canada in search of a career. His father was already working in Ontario and he believed his son would have a better chance of finding employment if he, too, came north.
Victor worked in a factory in Etobicoke not far from Woodbine Racetrack, which is where his sister, Althea, and her husband, Aaron, eventually began working. The pair encouraged Victor to try his hand on the backstretch, but he turned them down. At one point, Woodbine trainer Josie Carroll started calling Victor each spring to see if he wanted some barn work.
“I kept saying no,” Victor laughs. “I didn’t know anything about horses.”
Now, 25 years later, Victor is the ninth recipient of the Jockey Club of Canada’s Outstanding Groom Award, receiving recognition for his hard work and dedication. Victor has worked for Josie Carroll, an Honoured Member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, since he started at the track.
“I was very excited when I found out about receiving this award,” said Victor. “This job brings me joy every day.”
It was the year 2000 when Victor finally decided to check out the racetrack and his first impression was one of awe. “I stood there in [Josie’s] barn and saw these giant animals and said, ‘what the heck are these things?’”
Victor learned the skills of a groom from Carroll and assistant Lorie Allen, and it wasn’t long before he was in the winner’s circle. One of his first stakes winners was Willow Bunch, the 2003 Jammed Lovely Stakes and La Lorgnette Stakes winner, and a filly he says is still one of his all-time favourites. “She was just the sweetest thing and she won four of her five races.”
Josie’s barn is perennially filled with well-bred, talented horses, and Victor became the groom of some very big names. He won his first Queen’s Plate in 2011 with the filly Inglorious, “the highlight of my life so far”, and groomed champions Avie’s Flatter and Amis Gizmo. In 2023, he was the groom of eventual Sovereign Award Champion Female Sprinter, Loyalty.
“It’s about taking care of them, making them happy, and I have been lucky because they run for me. But this is all about teamwork, everyone in the barn helping each other.”
Victor is certainly glad he took a chance at the track all those years ago. “The horses get into your blood and if you put in the work, it will pay off.”
Ian Dick
On a typical early spring day, Ian Dick is not only immersed in prepping racehorses at Buttigieg Training Centre, he has just helped a broodmare deliver the first foal of the year for the farm.
For almost two decades, the Scottish-born horseman has played an integral role at the Egbert, Ontario farm owned by successful owner, trainer, and breeder, Paul Buttigieg. You won’t see Ian at the racetrack very often, but his fingerprints are all over recent Sovereign Awards champions such as Paramount Prince, Patches O’Houlihan, and Pink Lloyd, along with graded stakes winners Artie’s Storm and Phil’s Dream.
Each year he has been managing the farm, some 100 horses are broken to saddle, legged up after a winter break, or rested and rehabilitated, while a couple of dozen broodmares will produce foals.
The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to recognize Ian’s vast knowledge and dedication by presenting him with the 2024 Outstanding Off-track Worker Award.
“This is something I never expected,” said Ian, 68, who was working with horses in his homeland by the time he was a teenager. “I’m very pleased, it’s a tough job.”
Ian worked for several trainers in Scotland and England as a young man, and even did a stint as a jockey, but preferred to exercise horses. He made a decision to come to Canada in his late 20s, first working at Gardiner Farm and galloping horses at Woodbine. Buttigieg was one of the trainers he worked for at the track and he offered him a job at his farm assisting his then-manager Rita Schnitzler. Ian’s main focus in those early years at the training centre was breaking yearlings and training racehorses.
“The job sounded like a challenge and I really didn’t want to gallop at the track anymore,” said Ian, who is a father of four.
When Rita retired a few years later, Ian took on the role as farm manager, adding both the breeding and foaling program and yearling sales preparation to his list of duties. He and Paul have formed a strong team along with track assistant Rick Hiyashi. Their years of success attest to the strength of their work together. Of Paul Buttigieg, Ian says “He’s been good to me over the years.”
The reward, said Ian, is watching the horses go on to do big things at the track, whether they win a claiming race or a stakes race. “It’s nice to see them develop and become someone’s special horse, it makes you feel good.”
www.longrunretirement.com
Dear Roger, Congratulations on your sterling career.
Love and good wishes, Peteski
EARLE I. MACK LLC
Special
Anne M. Eberhardt
Moira
Canada’s Queen of Racing saved her best for last.
Moira, the 2022 Canadian Horse of the Year and Champion Three-year Old Female, charged down the Del Mar turf course last November and held on to win the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. With jockey Flavien Prat up, Moira held off Godolphin’s talented three-year old filly, Cinderella’s Dream (GB), at the end of 1 3/8 miles, boosting her career earnings to $2,996,017 and making her the eighth-richest Canadian-bred of all time. Recently named 2024 Eclipse Award Champion Female Turf Horse, she is only the third Queen’s Plate winner to also record a victory at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, following fellow Canadian greats Dance Smartly and Awesome Again.
The Jockey Club of Canada recognizes Moira’s remarkable year with a Special Sovereign Award, making her just the third horse (after Sunny’s Halo and Awesome Again) to receive this trophy.
The Breeders’ Cup win, the first Grade 1 success for Moira, was a career moment for trainer Kevin Attard, who prepared the quirky mare to perfection from ages two through five, ably assisted by groom Peter Lopez and exercise rider Korina McLean. It was bittersweet, but came at the right time for her connections, as she went through The November Sale at FasigTipton Kentucky two days later and sold for $4.3 million to Australian-based Yulong Investments.
The magical Moira ride began when Donato Lanni plucked the filly out of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2020 for $150,000. He put together X-Men Racing with a group of friends, and they campaigned the Ontario-bred daughter of Ghostzapper with Madaket Racing LLC and SF Bloodstock LLC.
At two, Moira won the prestigious Princess Elizabeth stakes in her first career start.
In her championship three-year old season, Moira crushed her rivals in the Woodbine Oaks, despite acting up before the race and running without hind shoes. She came back a few weeks later and dominated the boys in her Plate victory, setting a track record.
At four, Moira captured the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and placed third in both the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes and Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf before being offered at Fasig-Tipton’s 2023 The November Sale, where her ownership group bought her back for $3 million.
It was a shrewd move, as the fairy-tale continued for another year. Kevin summed up four years with Moira by saying it was “a whirlwind” and that his star pupil and her owners “meant a lot to me and my family.”
Moira has embarked on a 2025 campaign in Australia for her new connections, and we wish her continued success on the racetrack and in the breeding shed.
ARISTELLA
B. F. 2, by More Than Ready – Back to Love (Street Cry *Ire)
Trainer: Rachel Halden
Owner: Flying Zee Racing Stables LLC
Breeder: Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, LLC & Anderson Farms (Ontario)
Winner: King Corrie S. Plate Trial S. Queenston S.
Stakes Placings: 2nd King’s Plate S.
Horse Racing Alberta Congratulates
all of the 50th Annual Sovereign Awards finalists, including Alberta-bred Big Hug, finalist in the Champion Older Main Track Female category.
Best of luck in 2025
ADENA SPRINGS
In Canada:
Starters 43; Winners 20
Earnings $1,648,676
Can. Starts 204; Wins 30; 2nd 22; 3rd 28
For decades, Frank and Frieda Stronach’s Adena Springs has been home to champion racehorses and some of the strongest bloodlines in Canadian racing history. Since their first Outstanding Breeder award in 1984, they have been similarly honoured another 13 times, including for 2022 and 2023. Sadly, Frieda passed away last March before the farm was recognized as the Outstanding Breeder of 2023. A finalist again for 2024, their horses made headlines in Canada and beyond.
Their homebred three-year old gelding, Vitality, a latedeveloping galloper trained by Harold Ladouceur, blossomed in the summer with a maiden victory and sixth-place finish in the King’s Plate before capturing the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Race Track. Another of the Adena Springs three-year olds, Rafaroo, was second in the Plate Trial Stakes, while Brengungirl won the South Ocean Stakes for Canuck Racing Club, and two other runners, Awesome Beat and Asamatteroffactido, were stakes placed.
Moira, their star of the year, became just the seventh Canadian-bred to win a Breeders’ Cup race when she took the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November. That victory, along with her win in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes and placings in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes and Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes, garnered Moira the Eclipse Award for 2024 Champion Turf Female. Moira, by the Stronachs’ great sire Ghostzapper, receives a Special Sovereign Award this evening.
ANDERSON FARMS ONT. INC.
In Canada:
Starters 19; Winners 11
Earnings $1,157,252
Can. Starts 82; Wins 15; 2nd 7; 3rd 9
A force in the sales ring and on the racetrack, horses bred by David Anderson’s Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario were prominent in big events once again in 2024. The boutique breeding establishment had five stakes horses in Canada last season from 11 winners, including Elysian Field, who is a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Female this evening.
Elysian Field, a daughter of Hard Spun from the mare Elysian, by Smart Strike, was the 2023 Champion Three-year Old Female in Canada. Owned by Gary Barber and Team Valor International LLC, she won the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes and was second in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes. Three-year olds Airosa and Bedard were second and third, respectively, in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Race Track.
Anderson Farms also bred two accomplished two-year old fillies in Shifty, who won the Catch a Glimpse Stakes and finished third to the boys in the Grade 3 bet365 Grey Stakes, and Winterberry, who won the Glorious Song Stakes. Both fillies raced for D. J. Stable LLC.
In partnership with Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, Anderson Farms bred Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Aristella, by More Than Ready, who is a finalist for Champion Two-year Old Female of 2024. South of the border, Anderson-bred Ba Dee Yah won the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes.
CHIEFSWOOD STABLES LIMITED
In Canada:
Starters 37; Winners 12
Earnings $2,093,338
Can. Starts 138; Wins 15; 2nd 24; 3rd 21
It was another banner year for horses bred by Robert and Mark Krembil’s Chiefswood Stables Limited. A finalist in this category numerous times, Chiefswood bred and raced two Canadian classic winners and seven stakes horses in 2024. One of the stars for the Krembils last season was the three-year old filly Kin’s Concerto, trained by honoured Hall of Fame member Josie Carroll, who won the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks presented by Stella Artois and is a finalist for Champion Three-year Old Female this evening.
They unleashed an impressive first-time starter in the summer, Playmea Tune, also trained by Josie Carroll, and the son of Macleans Music went from a big debut win to finishing second in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes.
In the testing 1 ½ -mile Breeders’ Stakes, Chiefswood horses took the top three spots in the $400,000 race: Roscar, trained by Rachel Halden, gave Chiefswood its second consecutive Breeders’ win while the filly Saccharine, also trained by Halden, was second, and Side Street, trained by Layne Giliforte, was third.
Piper’s Factor won the Toronto Cup Stakes presented by Crown Royal on the turf under the tutelage of trainer Katerina Vassilieva.
In Florida, the Chiefswood-bred Waskesiu, trained by Bill Mott, won the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs in the spring and was also third in the Ginger Brew Stakes.
Congratulations to all the finalists, winners, and their connections.
Proudly supporting our breeders! 14 Ontario-bred nominees 6 Ontario-sired nominees 5 Ontario-bred sales graduate nominees Join us at the 2025 Premier Yearling Sale on Wednesday, August 27th.
DANCING ALLSTAR
Millennium Allstar – High On Believin, by Honor Grades
Canada’s Champion Two-year Old Female of 2007, British Columbia-bred Dancing Allstar was a graded stakes winner and track record setter and has passed that talent to her offspring. As a broodmare for Trinity West Stables, Dancing Allstar produced 2019 Champion Female Sprinter Summer Sunday, who, like her dam, was blessed with brilliant speed. Summer Sunday, a daughter of Silent Name (JPN), won stakes races from ages two through six. In her championship year, she won the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes and Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes en route to garnering a career record of 11 wins in 22 starts and over $759,000 in earnings.
Dancing Allstar is also the dam of stakes winner Trini Brewnette, by Milwaukee Brew, who won the South Ocean Stakes as a juvenile and the Algoma Stakes at age five, in addition to five stakes placings through ages three, four, and five.
Her son Summer Commander, a full-brother to Summer Sunday, placed in the Lake Superior Stakes in 2024. Summer Commander was also stakes-placed as a two-year old and has career earnings of over $119,000. Dancing Allstar, who was inducted into the BC Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019, has a Texas-bred three-year old colt by Improbable.
The remarkable Ontario-bred broodmare Executive Affair has produced 13 runners, all of which are winners, three stakes winners, and six of her foals have earned over six figures. A winning daughter of one of Ontario’s leading sires, Bold Executive, Executive Affair was bred by Mike and Nick Nosowenko. For the Nosowenkos, Executive Affair produced eight straight foals from 2008 to 2015, including multiple stakes winner and fan-favourite Cooler Mike. A son of Giant Gizmo, Cooler Mike earned over $484,000, ran third in two legs of the 2018 Canadian Triple Crown – the Queen’s Plate Stakes and Prince of Wales Stakes – and won three stakes races in his four-year old year.
Executive Affair was later sold to Dr. John Brown’s Spring Farm and her 2016 foal, Sav, by Big Screen, won the 2019 La Prevoyante Stakes and was graded-stakes placed at four. Sav earned over $311,000.
Executive Affair’s 2018 offspring, Cruden Bay, is a finalist for Champion Male Turf Horse this evening following his big win in the 2024 Grade 2 bet365 Connaught Cup Stakes. A seven-time winner, Cruden Bay has amassed over $436,000 in career earnings. Executive Affair has a 3-year-old of 2025 named Big Screen Boss and she is currently in foal to Big Screen.
Ericka Rusnak took a chance on Platinum Steel in 2017, purchasing the stakes-placed mare for $25,000 (US) from the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in foal to young stallion Kantharos. A longtime farm manager at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, Canada, and a small-scale breeder, Ericka was attracted to Platinum Steel’s physical look. She kept the first two foals the mare produced for her and then privately sold her 2020 offspring, a colt by Society’s Chairman, following the 2021 CTHS Yearling Sale. Later named Paramount Prince, he would go on to change his breeder’s life. Raced by Mike Langlois and Gary Barber, Paramount Prince won the 2023 King’s Plate and was named Canada’s Champion Three-year Old Male at the 2023 Sovereign Awards. In 2024, Paramount Prince added two graded stakes races to his resume, the Grade 2 Seagram Cup Stakes and Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes, earning him a place as a finalist this evening for Champion Older Main Track Male.
Platinum Steel’s next two foals were also stakes horses in 2024: Her two-year old, Souper Supreme, won the Muskoka Stakes and Victorian Queen Stakes and is a finalist for Champion Two-year Old Female this evening, while her three-year old, Its Time to Shine, finished third in the Lake Erie Stakes. Platinum Steel has a two-year old of 2025 by Silent Name (JPN) christened Going Platinum, and a yearling colt by the same sire.
Chestnut mare, 2010
Eddington – Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector
Chestnut mare, 2005
CRUDEN BAY
SUMMER SUNDAY PARAMOUNT PRINCE
IT’S HARD TO BE HUMBLE
A TDN Gold Value stallion – for any number of reasons. In fact, no stallion standing for less than $75,000 has more G1 winners, G1 Stakes horses, G1 Stakes winners, Graded Stakes horses and Black Type horses than Hard Spun. He’s perfect in ever y way.
Good luck to all the team with Sovereign Champion Elysian Field as she bids to double up as Champion Older Main Track Female.
Champion Female Sprinter
GAL IN A RUSH
B. M. 5, by Ghostzapper – Hudson River Gal (Dynaformer)
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen and Titletown Racing Stables
Winner: Nearctic S. presented by The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) Bold Venture S. (G3) Branded Cities Vigil S. (G3) Pink Lloyd S.
Stakes Placings: 2nd bet365 Kennedy Road S. (G2)
Outstanding Jockey
SAHIN CIVACI
In Canada:
Starts 645; Wins 170; 2nd 113; 3rd 98
Earnings $6,717,826
Stakes wins 17
In just six years, Sahin Civaci has gone from a new face in the Woodbine jockey colony to his first leading rider title and second Sovereign Award nomination for Outstanding Jockey. It has been a remarkable rise in success for Sahin, who was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but learned horsemanship in his parents’ homeland of Turkey.
Sahin began his career in 2014 at Hastings Racecourse before moving his tack to Woodbine in 2019. Every year he has ridden in Canada he has surpassed his efforts from the year before, and 2024 saw Sahin set many personal marks in addition to capturing his first riding title. Sahin, represented by agent Leroy Trotman, was hot from the beginning to the end of the Woodbine season, even winning six races on one card in November.
A significant part of Sahin’s success has been his partnership with the Mark Casse stable. In 2024, Sahin’s stakes wins included graded victories on Casse trainees Time to Dazzle and Sovereign Award finalists Elysian Field and Filo Di Arianna (BRZ). One of his most impressive steers was on board the classy veteran gelding Get Smokin, who led all the way to win the 1 ½-mile Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes towards the end of the season. Sahin had a lofty win percentage of 26, putting him in a tie for seventh among all North American jockeys with over 100 mounts.
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ
In Canada:
Starts 672; Wins 140; 2nd 133; 3rd 86
Earnings $6,368,328
Stakes wins 11
Puerto Rican-born Rafael Hernandez has firmly made a place at the top of the jockey ranks in Canada since he began riding permanently at Woodbine nine years ago. A winner of the Outstanding Jockey Award in 2020, Rafael set a new personal record in 2024 by purse earnings as his mounts collected over $6.3 million. His 140 wins were a clear second to Sahin Civaci and well clear of third-ranked Fraser Aebly’s 73 wins.
One of the highlights of Rafael’s season was his well-timed winning move on the filly Caitlinhergrtness to win the $1 million King’s Plate over the boys. This was the third Plate win for Rafael and his second in three years after guiding champion Moira to Plate glory in 2022. Rafael’s 11 stakes wins also included a crafty, upset score aboard 16 to 1 shot And One More Time, trained by Mark Casse, in the Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes, a Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. He also won the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes aboard Stormcast, a three-time Sovereign Award finalist this evening.
Rafael, whose agent is Anthony Esposito, guided Sovereign Award finalist Full Count Felicia, trained by Outstanding Trainer finalist Kevin Attard, to victory in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes on the grass. He was the regular rider of Dewolf, winner of the Bull Page Stakes and second in three major juvenile stakes.
PATRICK HUSBANDS
In Canada:
Starts 230; Wins 52; 2nd 36 3rd 29
Earnings $3,524,479
Stakes wins 18
It was a big year for multiple champion jockey Patrick Husbands as the Barbados-born rider was celebrated at the beginning of the Woodbine season with Patrick Husbands Day in honour of his 30 years riding in Canada. Patrick, who is an eight-time winner of Canada’s Outstanding Jockey Award, was also inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in a summer ceremony.
On the track in 2024, Patrick led all riders with 18 stakes wins, drawing him closer to his goal of a record 400 stakes wins at Woodbine.
Proving that a bettor should never leave him out of a wager in a stakes race, Patrick surprised everyone when he snuck Win for the Money up the rail to win the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile at 13 to 1 for his biggest win of the season. He guided one of his favourite horses, 2023 King's Plate hero Paramount Prince, to a pair of graded stakes wins in 2024 and also captured two stakes races each on Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s two-year old Scorching and Glassman Stables’ sprinting mare, Play the Music. All three of those stars are Sovereign Award finalists this evening.
Patrick also orchestrated an upset score in the prestigious Princess Elizabeth Stakes aboard Aristella for trainer Rachel Halden.
Patrick, whose agent is Leroy Trotman, won at a clip of 22 percent in 2024, the highest win rate for him in a decade.
Congratulations
to all the 2024 Sovereign Award winners and finalists
Jockeys Benefit Association of Canada
Dedicated to finding adoptive homes and new careers for former Thoroughbred racehorses.
Congratulations to all Sovereign Awards finalists.
Filly ex Make A Scene born on January 22nd. Bred by Three Chimneys Farm.
Colt ex Take Charge Glenda born on January 25th. Take Charge Glenda was bred back to Gunite for 2025! Bred by Willis Horton Racing LLC. (Kevin Horton)
Colt ex Annie Rocks born on January 8th. Bred by Danielle Loya at Mallory Farms.
Filly ex Luna Antonia born on February 21st. Bred by Kathryn Nikkel & Pegasus Stud.
S. (by 5¾
and G1 Forego S. winner.
Dermot Ryan, Charlie O’Connor, Adrian Wallace, Robyn Murray, Blaise Benjamin, Charles Hynes
Michael Norris.
CRUDEN BAY
B. G. 6, by Big Screen – Executive Affair (Bold Executive)
Winner: Nearctic S. Presented by The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) Bold Venture S. (G3) Branded Cities Vigil S. (G3) Pink Lloyd S.
Stakes Placings: 2nd bet365 Kennedy Road S. (G2)
SPEED AND STAMINA PLUS CLASSIC BREEDING
WEYBURN
GRADED STAKES
WINNING SON OF LEADING SIRE PIONEEROF THE NILE
(SIRE OF AMERICAN TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPION AMERICAN PHAROAH)
At 2, WON a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct (7 fur., defeating Officiating, Cost Average, Al’s Prince, etc.).
At 3, WON Gotham S. [G3]at Aqueduct (1 mi., defeating Crowded Trade, Highly Motivated, Freedom Fighter, etc.), 2nd TVG.com Pegasus S. [L] at Monmouth Park (1 1/16 mi., to Mandaloun, by a neck, defeating Dr Jack, Brooklyn Strong, etc.).
At 4, WON Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream Park (7 fur., defeating Collaborate, Fortin Hill, Quick Tempo, etc.).
At 5, WON Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream Park (7 fur., defeating Dean Delivers, Steal Sunshine, Celestial Glaze, etc.), 3rd Westchester S. [G3] at Belmont Park (1 mi., to Repo Rocks, Zandon, defeating Unbridled Bomber, etc.).
MALE LINE
TONY GATTELLARO
WEYBURN is by PIONEEROF THE NILE, black-type winner of 5 races in 10 starts at 2 and 3, $1,634,200, CashCall Futurity [G1] (HOL, $400,000), Santa Anita Derby [G1] (SA, $450,000), etc Among the leading sires., sire of 56 black type winners, including— AMERICAN PHAROAH. 9 wins in 11 starts at 2 and 3, $8,650,300, Horse Of The Year, Champion 2 and 3-Year-Old Colt, Triple Crown, Kentucky Derby [G1] (CD, $1,418,800), Xpressbet.com Preakness
S. [G1] (PIM, $900,000), Belmont S. [G1] (BEL, $800,000), Breeders’ Cup Classic [G1] (KEE, $2,750,000)-ntr, etc. Sire.
SUNDAY AFFAIR, by A.P. Indy. Unraced. Sister to MILLION SELLER. Dam of 8 foals, 7 to race, 6 winners--YORKTON (c. by Speightstown). 7 wins, 2 to 5, $700,046, 2nd Sir Shackleton S. (GP, $14,250), 3rd True North S. [G2] (BEL, $18,000). Sire.
WEYBURN. Subject stallion. Nipigon (g. by Niigon). 7 wins, 2 to 6, $469,040.
Kevin joined an elite group of trainers when his prized pupil, Moira, won last year’s Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. The victory was the seventh by a Canadian-bred in more than 40 years of the World Championship races, and with it Kevin became just the fourth Woodbine-based trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup race. Moira, the Canadian Horse of the Year of 2022 and Kevin’s first Queen’s Plate winner, also captured the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs and will receive a Special Sovereign Award this evening.
An eight-time finalist for Outstanding Trainer, Kevin had another stellar season on his home turf. One of the highlights was the thrilling victory by filly Caitlinhergrtness in the 165th King’s Plate. She also ran third in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana and is a finalist for Champion Three-year Old Female.
Gold Square LLC’s Full Count Felicia, a new face to Kevin’s barn in 2024, won the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes over Moira and 2023 Canadian Horse of the Year, Fev Rover (IRE), and also took the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association. She is a finalist for Champion Female Turf Horse. Fashionably Fab, a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Female, won three stakes races for Terra Racing Stable, including the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes and Grade 3 Belle Mahone Stakes.
An ace with two-year olds, Kevin also won stakes races with juveniles Brengungirl, Dewolf, and Mansetti.
JOSIE CARROLL
In Canada:
Starts 211; Wins 35; 2nd 27; 3rd 28
Earnings $2,150,969
Stakes wins 6
An honoured member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Josie Carroll has been a finalist for Outstanding Trainer in Canada seven times in the past 10 years. Josie’s horses had another stellar season in Canada in 2024, collecting some of the biggest prizes of the year. Kin’s Concerto, a homebred three-year old filly for Chiefswood Stables Limited, was perfectly prepared by Josie and her team to win the Woodbine Oaks presented by Stella Artois, the third time Josie has won the first leg of Canada’s Triple Tiara. Kin’s Concerto is a finalist for Sovereign Award Champion Threeyear Old Female this evening.
Josie also trained the winners of two of the biggest races for two-year olds at Woodbine in 2024: He’s Not Joking took the Grade 3 bet365 Grey Stakes for her longtime clients Di Scola Boys Stable, and Notorious Gangster captured the $250,000 Coronation Futurity for Mark Dodson. He’s Not Joking is a finalist for Champion Two-year Old Male this evening. Additionally, Josie won graded stakes races with NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’ Sabatini, the winner of the Star Shoot Stakes and Grade 3 Selene Stakes, and Mark Dodson’s A Game, who took the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes.
Josie added another milestone to her outstanding training career when she recorded her 1,000th victory in August, with Spinzar winning on the Woodbine turf for LNJ Foxwoods. She is the among the winningest female trainers by earnings in North American racing history.
MARK CASSE
In Canada:
Starts 504; Wins 108; 2nd 77; 3rd 69
Earnings $7,392,815
Stakes wins 33
A 16-time winner of the Outstanding Trainer trophy, including the last 13 straight titles, Mark Casse continues to set records. The dual Hall of Famer and his team sent out the winners of 33 stakes races in 2024 – a record at Woodbine. Those stakes wins were amassed by 25 different horses for a variety of owners.
Among the big wins for Mark last year were the upset victories by Live Oak Plantation’s Win for the Money in the prestigious Grade 1 Rogers Woodbine Mile and And One More Time in the Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes on the same day. Ten of Mark’s trainees are finalists for Sovereign Awards this evening, including K E M Racing Stable’s Ontario-bred Stormcast, who won the Bison City Stakes for three-year old fillies and the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes over older fillies and mares. Dual 2022 champion Filo Di Arianna (BRZ) won two grade 2 stakes races on the grass, the King Edward Stakes and the Highlander Stakes, and is a finalist in two categories.
Some of Mark’s other 2024 stars are finalists tonight: Play the Music is a finalist for Champion Female Sprinter; Paramount Prince is a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Male; and My Boy Prince is a finalist for both Champion Three-year Old Male and Champion Male Sprinter.
Mark also prepared two-year old stakes winners Bullet, Mensa, Mi Bago, and Shifty en route to his recordsetting season.
BIG HUG
DK. B./BR. F. 4, by Mr. Big – Temeeku (Unusual Heat)
Winner: Belle Mahone S. (G3) Ontario Matron S. (G3) La Prevoyante S.
Stakes Placings: 3rd Trillium S. presented by Don Julio (G3)
MICHAEL BURNS
Outstanding Owner
CHIEFSWOOD STABLES LIMITED
In Canada:
Starts 119; Wins 26; 2nd 16; 3rd 16
Earnings $2,152,717
Stakes wins 6
Gary Barber won his first Sovereign Award as Outstanding Owner for the 2023 racing season, and his stable followed up that success with another solid Woodbine campaign in 2024. In fact, Gary, who led all Woodbine owners by earnings in 2020 and 2021, saw his horses record new personal best marks for him, including purse earnings.
Gary’s horses are trained by perennial Sovereign Award winning trainer Mark Casse, and his best runner of 2024 was 2023 Champion Two-year Old Male, My Boy Prince, who is a finalist for Champion Three-year Old Male and Champion Male Sprinter this evening. The Ontario-bred grey colt was one of the year’s top runners, with three straight wins in the King Corrie Stakes, Queenston Stakes, and Plate Trial Stakes. Favoured in the King’s Plate Stakes, the gutsy colt had the lead into the stretch, but couldn’t hold off the victorious Caitlinhergrtness.
Gary also won the Grade 3 bet365 Eclipse Stakes with his seven-year old gelding Palazzi and stakes with three-year old filly Witwatersrand and two-year old Mi Bago. In partnership, Gary campaigned an additional three of this evening’s finalists: Paramount Prince, a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Male, Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes winner Elysian Field, a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Female, and Filo Di Arianna (BRZ), a finalist for Champion Male Sprinter and Champion Male Turf Horse, who captured two Grade 2 stakes races in 2024.
In Canada:
Starts 141; Wins 14; 2nd 24; 3rd 22
Earnings $2,135,232
Stakes wins 3
Robert and Mark Krembil’s Chiefswood Stables Limited was in a photo finish with Gary Barber for Woodbine’s second leading owner by earnings in 2024. A two-time winner in this category in 2017 and 2018, Chiefswood won its 400th race since first having runners in the early 2000s when their homebred Piper’s Factor won an allowance race just a few weeks into Woodbine’s 2024 season. Trained by Katerina Vassilieva, Piper’s Factor also provided them with a win in the Toronto Cup Stakes Presented by Crown Royal.
Chiefswood won two of the biggest races for Canadianbred three-year olds last year. Kin’s Concerto, trained by Josie Carroll, won a hard-fought battle with eventual King’s Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness to take the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois. The daughter of Mendelssohn was the second Oaks winner for the farm, and she is a finalist for Champion Three-year Old Female this evening. Later in the summer, their lightly raced gelding Roscar, trained by Rachel Halden, won the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the third jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown, over fellow Chiefswood Stables horses Saccharine and Side Street. The victory by the son of Oscar Performance was the third Breeders’ win for the farm in the past seven years.
BRUNO SCHICKENDANZ
In Canada:
Starts 627; Wins 92; 2nd 94; 3rd 85
Earnings $3,130,433
Stakes wins 2
The red and white striped silks of owner Bruno Schickedanz can be seen in many races at Woodbine each year. Bruno, who has the largest stable in Canada, had more starts than ever in his home country in 2024 – 627. It was also the second straight year he had over 1,000 starts in North America in one season.
The Toronto businessman won his first Sovereign Award as Outstanding Owner in 2022 and was a finalist in 2023. Last year, he led Woodbine owners in wins for the tenth consecutive year and was leading owner at Fort Erie for the fourth consecutive season.
His 92 wins in Canada in 2024 helped him garner the North American title by wins for the second straight year.
Combined purses from his horses at Woodbine and Fort Erie in 2024 totaled more than $3.1 million, also a personal record for Bruno in Canada.
Equipped with a large contingent of trainers, Bruno had several stakes horses in 2024 including Rondeau Bay Stakes winner Frac Amour and LongRun Aftercare Stakes winner Cant Beat the Katz, a homebred. Bruno also had several graded stakes placings with his venerable performer War Bomber (IRE), along with Classic Mo Town and Old Chestnut.
GARY BARBER
Thank You Congratulations
to all Sovereign Awards finalists and winners, including Emma-Jayne Wilson & Moira, winners of the Special Sovereign Award and E.P. Taylor Award of Merit recipient Roger Attfield.
to each of our Sovereign Awards sponsors.
Fev Rover
Success Worth Celebrating
Keeneland is proud to recognize its sales graduates among the finalists for the 50th annual Sovereign Awards. Their success is a testament to the dedication, talent and teamwork that define our sport. We are honored to be part of their journey and celebrate this well-earned recognition.
Champion Older Main Track Male
Apprehend
Champion Two-Year Old Female
Aristella
Champion Three-Year Old Female
Avana
Caitlinhergrtness
Stormcast
Champion Two-Year Old Male
Dream On
He’s Not Joking
Champion Three-Year Old Male
Dresden Row
Champion Female Turf Horse
Full Count Felicia
Stormcast
Champion Female Sprinter
Gal in a Rush
Play the Music Stormcast
Outstanding Broodmare
Platinum Steel
Special Sovereign Award
Moira
PAST Winners
HORSE OF THE YEAR
1951: Bull Page
E.P. Taylor
1952: Canadiana
E.P. Taylor
1953: King Maple
Mrs. G. McMacken
1954: Queen’s Own
E.P. Taylor
SPECIAL SOVEREIGN
1978: Jean Romanet
1979: Honourable Frank Drea
1983: John Finney
1983: Sunny’s Halo
1988: Richard Duchossois
1991: Rothmans Ltd.
1992: Milt Dunnell
MAN OF THE YEAR
1975: E.P. Taylor
1976: Jack Diamond
1977: E.P. Taylor
1978: Ron Turcotte
1979: George C. Hendrie
1980: Jack Stafford
1981: Jim Bentley
1982: Jean-Louis Levesque
1983: Joe Thomas
1998: Awesome Again
2002: Roland Roberts
2007: Louis Romanet
2011: Sue Leslie
2017: Sam Lima
2019: Harvey Warner
2020: Sam-Son Farm
2023: Red McKenzie
1984: Jim Coleman
1985: George Gardiner
1986: D.G. (Bud) Willmot
1987: Lawrence D. Regan
1988: Sandy Hawley
1989: George C. Frostad
1990: James W. Wright
1991: Ernest L. Samuel
1992: Charles Baker
E.P. TAYLOR AWARD OF MERIT
1994: Jack H. Kenney
1995: Charles Taylor
1998: David S. Willmot
1999: George M. Hendrie
2000: Honourable
Michael D. Harris
2005: Michael C. Byrne
2010: Robert Anderson
2015: R.J (Russell) and Lois Bennett
2016: Frank Stronach
2018: Gustav Schickedanz
2018: William D. Graham
2021: Ivan Dalos
2022: Dale Saunders
1970: Fanfreluche
Jean-Louis Levesque
1971: Lauries Dancer
Mrs. A.W. Stollery
1972: La Prevoyante
Jean-Louis Levesque
1973: Kennedy Road
Mrs. A.W. Stollery
1955: Ace Marine
Larkin Maloney
1956: Canadian Champ Bill Beasley
1957: Hartney
Col. K.R. Marshall
1958: Nearctic Windfields Farm
1959: Wonder Where
L. Maloney & Conn Smythe
1960: Victoria Park Windfields Farm
1961: Hidden Treasure Bill Beasley
1962: Crafty Lace
Jerome M. Jacobs
1963: Canebora Windfields Farm
1964: Northern Dancer Windfields Farm
1965: George Royal
E.C. Hammond & R.W. Hall
1966: Victorian Era Windfields Farm
1967: He’s a Smoothie Bill Beasley
1968: Viceregal Windfields Farm
1969: Jumpin Joseph Warren Beasley
1974: L’Enjoleur
Jean-Louis Levesque
1975: L’Enjoleur
Jean-Louis Levesque
1976: Norcliffe
Norcliffe Stable
1977: L’Alezane
Jean-Louis Levesque
1978: Overskate
Stafford Farms
1979: Overskate
Stafford Farms
1980: Glorious Song
Frank Stronach & Nelson Bunker Hunt
1981: Deputy Minister
Kinghaven Farms & Centurion Farm
1982: Frost King
Bill Marko & Ted Smith
1983: Travelling Victor R.J. Bennett
1984: Dauphin Fabuleux
Sam-Son Farm
1985: Imperial Choice
Sam-Son Farm
1986: Ruling Angel
Sam-Son Farm
1987: Afleet
Richard Kennedy & Taylor Made Farms
1988: Play the King
Kinghaven Farms
1989: With Approval
Kinghaven Farms
1990: Izvestia
Kinghaven Farms
1991: Dance Smartly
Sam-Son Farm
1992: Benburb
Knob Hill Stable
1993: Peteski
Earle I. Mack
1994: Alywow
Kinghaven Farms
1995: Peaks and Valleys
Pin Oak Stable
1996: Mt. Sassafras
Minshall Farms
1997: Chief Bearhart
Sam-Son Farm
1998: Chief Bearhart
Sam-Son Farm
1999: Thornfield Knob Hill Stable
2000: Quiet Resolve
Sam-Son Farm
2001: Win City
Frank Di Giulio Jr.
2002: Wake At Noon
Bruno Schickedanz
2003: Wando
Gus Schickedanz
2004: Soaring Free
Sam-Son Farm
2005: A Bit O’Gold
Two Bit Racing Stable
2006: Arravale
Robert Costigan
2007: Sealy Hill
Melnyk Racing
Stables, Inc.
2008: Fatal Bullet
Bear Stables, Ltd.
2009: Champs
Elysees (GB) Juddmonte Farms Inc.
2010: Biofuel
Brereton Jones
2011: Never Retreat Team Block
2012: Uncaptured
John C. Oxley
2013: Up with the Birds Sam-Son Farm
2014: Lexie Lou
Gary Barber
2015: Catch a Glimpse
Gary Barber,
Michael Ambler & Windways Farm
2016: Caren Robert Marzilli
2017: Pink Lloyd Entourage Stable
2018: Wonder Gadot
Gary Barber
2019: Starship Jubilee Blue Heaven Farm
2020: Mighty Heart
Lawrence Cordes
2021: Mighty Heart
Lawrence Cordes
2022: Moira
Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC and X-Men Racing
2023: Fev Rover (IRE) Tracy Farmer
PAST Winners
CHAMPION OLDER MALE
1975: Rash Move
1976: Victorian Prince
1977: Norcliffe
1978: Giboulee
1979: Overskate
1980: Overskate
1981: Driving Home
THE JOCKEY
CLUB OF CANADA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
2016: Tyler Hehn
2017: Tyson Lautenschlager
2018: Bobby Mihalik
1982: Frost King
1983: Travelling Victor
1984: Canadian Factor
1985: Ten Gold Pots
1986: Let’s Go Blue
1987: Play the King
1988: Play the King
1989: Steady Power
1990: Twist the Snow
1991: Sky Classic
1992: Rainbows for Life
1993: Cozzene’s Prince
1994: King Ruckus
1995: Basqueian
1996: Mt. Sassafras
1997: Chief Bearhart
1998: Terremoto
1999: Deputy Inxs
2000: One Way Love
2001: A Fleets Dancer
2002: Wake At Noon
2003: Phantom Light
2004: Mobil
2005: A Bit O’Gold
2006: True Metropolitan
2007: True Metropolitan
2008: Marchfield
2009: Marchfield
2010: Sand Cove
2011: Fifty Proof
2012: Hunters Bay
2013: Alpha Bettor
2014: Lukes Alley
2015: Are You Kidding Me
2016: Are You Kidding Me
2017: Pink Lloyd
2018: Mr Havercamp
2019: Pink Lloyd
2020: Skywire
2021: Mighty Heart
2022: Who’s the Star
2023: Tyson
CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE
1975: Victorian Queen
1976: Momigi
1977: Reasonable Win
1978: Christy’s Mount
1979: La Voyageuse
1980: Glorious Song
1981: Glorious Song
1982: Eternal Search
1983: Eternal Search
1984: Sintrillium
1985: Lake Country
1986: Bessarabian
1987: Carotene
1988: Carotene
1989: Proper Evidence
1990: Diva’s Debut
1991: Avant’s Gold
1992: Wilderness Song
1993: Dance for Donna
1994: Pennyhill Park
1995: Bold Ruritana
1996: Windsharp
1997: Woolloomooloo
1998: Santa Amelia
1999: Magic Code
2000: Saoirse
2001: Mountain Angel
2002: Small Promises
2003: One For Rose
2004: One For Rose
2005: One For Rose
2006: Financingavailable
2007: Financingavailable
2008: Bear Now
2009: Serenading
2010: Impossible Time
2011: Embur’s Song
2012: Roxy Gap
2013: Sisterly Love
2014: Strut the Course
2015: Miss Mischief
2016: Midnight Miley
2017: Ami’s Mesa
2018: Escape Clause
2019: Here’s Hannah
2020: Souper Escape
2021: Skygaze
2022: Lady Speightspeare
2023: Millie Girl
CHAMPION SPRINTER
1980: La Voyageuse
1981: Eternal Search
1982: Avowal
1983: Fraud Squad
1984: Diapason
1985: Summer Mood
1986: New Connection
1987: Play the King
1988: Play the King
1989: Mr. Hot Shot
1990: Twist the Snow
1991: King Corrie
1992: King Corrie
1993: Apelia
1994: King Ruckus
1995: Scotzanna
1996: Langfuhr
1997: Glanmire
1998: Deputy Inxs
1999: Deputy Inxs
2000: One Way Love
2001: Mr. Epperson
2002: Wake At Noon
2003: Soaring Free
2004: Blonde Executive
2005: Judiths Wild Rush
2006: Judiths Wild Rush
2007: Financingavailable
2008: Fatal Bullet
CHAMPION MALE SPRINTER
2009: Field Commission
2010: Hollywood Hit
2011: Essence Hit Man
2012: Essence Hit Man
2013: Phil’s Dream
2014: Calgary Cat
2015: Stacked Deck
2016: Noholdingback Bear
2017: Pink Lloyd
2018: Pink Lloyd
2019: Pink Lloyd
2020: Pink Lloyd
2021: Pink Lloyd
2022: Filo di Arianna (BRZ)
2023: Patches O’Houlihan
CHAMPION
FEMALE SPRINTER
2009: Tribal Belle
2010: Indian Apple Is
2011: Atlantic Hurricane
2012: Roxy Gap
2013: Youcan’tcatchme
2014: Hillaby
2015: Miss Mischief
2016: River Maid
2017: Ami’s Mesa
2018: Moonlit Promise
2019: Summer Sunday
2020: Artie’s Princess
2021: Amalfi Coast
2022: Hazelbrook
2023: Loyalty
TOP GRASS HORSE
1975: Victorian Queen
1976: Victorian Queen
1977: Momigi
1978: Overskate
1979: Overskate
1980: Overskate
1981: Ben Fab
1982: Frost King
1983: Kingsbridge
1984: Bounding Away
1985: Imperial Choice
1986: Carotene
1987: Carotene
1988: Carotene
1989: Charlie Barley
1990: Izvestia
1991: Sky Classic
1992: Rainbows For Life
1993: Hero’s Love
1994: Alywow
CHAMPION MALE TURF HORSE
1995: Hasten To Add
1996: Chief Bearhart
1997: Chief Bearhart
1998: Chief Bearhart
1999: Thornfield
2000: Quiet Resolve
2001: Numerous Times
2002: Portculllis
2003: Perfect Soul
2004: Soaring Free
2005: A Bit O’Gold
2006: Sky Conqueror
2007: Cloudy’s Knight
2008: Rahy’s Attorney
2009: Champs Elysees (GB)
2010: Grand Adventure
2011: Musketier (GER)
2012: Riding the River
2013: Forte Dei Marmi (GB)
2014: Dynamic Sky
2015: Interpol
2016: Conquest Enforcer
2017: Johnny Bear
2018: Mr Havercamp
2019: El Tormenta
2020: Say The Word
2021: Town Cruise
2022: Filo di Arianna (BRZ)
2023: Lucky Score
CHAMPION FEMALE TURF HORSE
1995: Bold Ruritana
1996: Windsharp
1997: Woolloomooloo
1998: Colorful Vices
1999: Free Vacation
2000: Heliotrope
2001: Sweetest Thing
2002: Chopinina
2003: Inish Glora
2004: Inish Glora
2005: Ambitous Cat
2006: Arravale
2007: Sealy Hill
2008: Callwood Dancer (IRE)
2009: Points of Grace
2010: Miss Keller (IRE)
2011: Never Retreat
2012: Irish Mission
2013: Solid Appeal
2014: Lexie Lou
2015: Catch a Glimpse
2016: Lexie Lou
2017: Starship Jubilee
2018: Starship Jubilee
2019: Starship Jubilee
2020: Theodora B.
2021: Jolie Olimpica
2022: Lady Speightspeare
2023: Fev Rover (IRE)
OUTSTANDING BROODMARE
1975: Reasonable Wife
1976: Northern Minx
1977: Doris White
1978: Fanfreluche
1979: Fitz’s Fancy
1980: Hangin Round
1981: Native Flower
1982: Yonnie Girl
1983: Two Rings
1984: Friendly Ways
1985: No Class
1986: Loudrangle
1987: Arctic Vixen
1988: Polite Lady
1989: Passing Mood
1990: Shy Spirit
1991: Classy ‘N Smart
1992: Ballade
1993: Bold Debra
1994: Rainbow Connection
1995: Sea Regent
1996: Amelia Bearhart
1997: Charming Sassafras
1998: Fleet Courage
1999: Sharpening Up
2000: Primarily
2001: Dance Smartly
2002: First Class Gal
2003: Radiant Ring
2004: Annasan
2005: Native Rights
2006: Dream Smartly
2007: Lover’s Talk
2008: Kathie’s Colleen
2009: Pico Teneriffe
2010: Destroy
2011: Noble Strike
2012: Misty Mission
2013: Captivating
2014: Eye of the Sphynx
2015: Rare Opportunity
2016: Galloping Ami
2017: Victorious Ami
2018: In Return
2019: Loving Vindication
2020: Danceforthecause
2021: Avie’s Empire
2022: Count to Three
2023: Mendocino Beano
OUTSTANDING JOCKEY
1975: Hugo Dittfach
1976: Chris Rogers
1977: Avelino Gomez
1978: Sandy Hawley
1979: Robin Platts
1980: Gary Stahlbaum
1981: Irwin Driedger
1982: Lloyd Duffy
1983: Larry Attard
1984: Chris Loseth
1985: Don Seymour
1986: Larry Attard
1987: Don Seymour
1988: Sandy Hawley
1989: Don Seymour
1990: Don Seymour
1991: Mickey Walls
1992: Todd Kabel
1993: Robert Landry
1994: Robert Landry
1995: Todd Kabel
1996: Emile Ramsammy
1997: Emile Ramsammy
1998: David Clark
1999: Patrick Husbands
2000: Patrick Husbands
2001: Patrick Husbands
2002: Patrick Husbands
2003: Todd Kabel
2004: Todd Kabel
2005: Todd Kabel
2006: Todd Kabel
2007: Patrick Husbands
2008: Patrick Husbands
2009: Patrick Husbands
2010: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2011: Luis Contreras
2012: Luis Contreras
2013: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2014: Patrick Husbands
2015: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2016: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2017: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2018: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2019: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
2020: Rafael Hernandez
2021: Kazushi Kimura
2022: Kazushi Kimura
2023: Kazushi Kimura
OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE JOCKEY
1975: Jeff Fell
1976: Chris Loseth
1977: Brad Smythe
1978: Ron Hansen
1979: Ray Creighton
1980: Valerie Thompson
1981: Richard Dos Ramos
1982: Richard Dos Ramos
1983: Robert King Jr.
1984: Robert King Jr.
1985: Nancy Jumpsen
1986: Todd Kabel
1987: Jim McAleney
1988: Jim McAleney
1989: Maree Richards
1990: Mickey Walls
1991: Mickey Walls
1992: Stanley Bethley
1993: Constant Montpellier
1994: Dave Wilson
1995: Dave Wilson
1996: Neil Poznansky
1997: Rui Pimentel
1998: Helen Vanek
1999: Ben Russell
2000: Cory Clark
2001: Chantal Sutherland
2002: Chantal Sutherland
2003: Julia Brimo
2004: Corey Fraser
2005: Emma-Jayne Wilson
2006: Emma-Jayne Wilson
2007: Tyler Pizarro
2008: Janine Stianson
2009: Omar Moreno
2010: Omar Moreno
2011: Ryan Pacheco
2012: Scott Williams
2013: Skye Chernetz
2014: Sheena Ryan
2015: Erika Smilovsky
2016: Kayla Pizarro
2017: Rey Williams
2018: Kazushi Kimura
2019: Kazushi Kimura
2020: Mauricio Malvaez
2021: Mauricio Malvaez
2022: Slade Jones
2023: Sofia Vives
OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPH
1975: Michael Burns
1976: Michael Burns
1977: Bob Gilmour
1978: Michael Burns
1979: Jeff Goode
1980: Wayne Glowack
1981: Bob Gilmour
1982: Jeff Goode
1983: Michael Burns
1984: Patricia Burns
1985: Michael Burns Jr
1986: Katey Barrett
1987: Boris Spremo
1988: Les Bazso
1989: Jeff Goode
1990: Michael Burns Jr.
1991: Mike Moore
1992: Jeff Goode
1993: Michael Burns Jr
1994: Michael Burns
1995: Ken Villeneuve
1996: Skip Dickstein
1997: Michael Burns Jr.
1998: Ryan Haynes
1999: David Landry
2000: David Landry
2001: Michael Burns Jr.
2002: Michael Burns Jr.
2003: Michael Burns Jr.
2004: David Landry
2005: David Landry
2006: David Landry
2007: Michael Burns Jr.
2008: Matt Waples
2009: Michael Burns
2010: Tod Marks
2011: David Landry
2012: Michael Burns
2013: Patti Tubbs
2014: Cindy Pierson Dulay
2015: Chris Young
2016: Cody Gregory
2017: David Landry
2018: Santino Di Paola
2019: Michael R. Bye
2020: Will Wong
2021: Will Wong
2022: TIE Allan de la Plante AND Julie Wright
2023: Jason Halstead
PAST Winners
OUTSTANDING WRITING
2012: Denise Ryan
2013: Alex Campbell
2014: David Briggs
2015: Curtis Stock
2016: Beverley Smith
2017: Perry Lefko
2018: Hayley Morrison
2019: David Briggs
2020: Chris Lomon
2021: Hayley Morrison
2022: George Williams
2023: Jennifer Morrison
OUTSTANDING FEATURE STORY
1984: Lou Cauz
1985: Bruce Walker
1986: Muriel Lennox
1987: David McFarlane
1988: Suzanne Zwarun
1989: Perry Lefko
1990: Brian Pound
1991: Bruce Walker
1992: Dr. Steven Brown
1993: Curtis Stock
1994: Perry Lefko
1995: Bill Tallon
1996: Jay Hovdey
1997: Susan Rhodemyre
1998: Jennifer Morrison-Learn
1999: Jennifer Morrison-Learn
2000: George Williams
2001: Muriel Lennox
2002: Bruce Walker
2003: Paul Wiecek
2004: Darryl Kaplan
2005: Peter Gross
2006: Paul Wiecek
2007: Paul Wiecek
2008: Peter Gross
2009: Bruce Walker
2010: Perry Lefko
2011: Jennifer Morrison
OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER STORY
1975: Milt Dunnell
1976: Jim Proudfoot
1977: Jim Coleman
1978: Scott Young
1979: George Gross
1980: Archie McDonald
1981: Larry Millson
1982: Archie McDonald
1983: Pat McMahon
1984: Larry Sicinski
1985: Curtis Stock
1986: Neil Campbell
1987: Tom Slater
OUTSTANDING FILM/VIDEO/BROADCAST
1984: Jo Jo Chintoh
1985: CBC
1986: Brad Diamond
1987: CBC
1988: CBC
1989: Brad Diamond
1990: CKVR
1991: Brad Diamond
1992: Aiken Scherberger
1993: CBC
1994: CBC
1995: Morgan Elliott
1996: Morgan Elliott
1997: Anne Pick
1998: Tom Wolski
1999: OJC Broadcast
2000: Paradox Pictures
2001: Tommy Wolski’s –Sport of Kings
2002: Great North Productions
1988: Paul Delean
1989: Paul Delean/ Jacqueline Duke
1990: Perry Lefko
1991: Curtis Stock
1992: George Williams
1993: Curtis Stock
1994: Curtis Stock
1995: George Williams
1996: Curtis Stock
1997: Muriel Lennox
1998: George Williams
1999: Curtis Stock
2003: Horse Racing
Alberta & White Iron Productions
2004: Woodbine
Entertainment Group
2005: CBC Radio Canada
2006: Horse Racing
Alberta & WhiteIron Productions
2007: Horse Racing
Alberta & WhiteIron Productions
2008: Horse Racing
Alberta & WhiteIron Productions
2009: Woodbine Entertainment Group Broadcast Department
2010: CBC Television Network Sports
2011: Sport of Kings –Tommy Wolski
2000: Curtis Stock
2001: Curtis Stock
2002: Steve Simmons
2003: Paul Wiecek
2004: Paul Wiecek
2005: Beverley Smith
2006: Dave Perkins
2007: Allan Besson
2008: Beverley Smith
2009: Curtis Stock
2010: Beverley Smith
2011: Beverley Smith
OUTSTANDING DIGITAL AUDIO/
VISUAL & BROADCAST
2012: Horse Racing Alberta & WhiteIron Productions
2013: Woodbine Entertainment Group Broadcast Department
2014: Scott Jagow
2015: Talkin Horses
2016: Woodbine Entertainment Group Broadcast Department
2017: Horse Racing Alberta
2018: Horse Racing Radio Network
2019: Woodbine Entertainment Group Broadcast Department
2020: Santino Di Paola
2021: Woodbine Entertainment Group Broadcast Department
2022: Woodbine Entertainment
2023: Woodbine Entertainment
Benevolence for Emergencies
Owners’ Awards for Ontario-bred winners
Registered & Non-Registered Pension Plan
Subsidized Medical/Dental Insurance
Educational Assistance
Employee Assistance Program
Social Events
Services
Applications & Immigration
Contract negotiations with racetracks
Ongoing Representation with AGCO, CPMA and all levels of Government
Free Urine/Blood re-evaluation on alleged positive test
Assistance with Foreign Workers
Board of Directors
Sue Leslie · Josie Carroll · Danny Vella · Sherry McLean
