Albertans McKenzie and Buck To Be Honoured by Jockey Club

Canada’s Sovereign Awards for Thoroughbred racing – feting the best of the best – won’t be announced until April 18. But two Albertans have already been honoured: In a unanimous decision by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards Robert ‘Red’ McKenzie will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award and Jennifer Buck will accept the inaugural Outstanding Off-Track Worker Award.

Both are richly deserved and in McKenzie’s case long overdue.

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The Special Sovereign Award recognizes a particular achievement within a given year. Given the criteria, McKenzie’s ‘particular achievement’ was a no-brainer. After all, at the age of 96 McKenzie became the oldest trainer in Canada – and second oldest at a recognized racetrack in North America – to win a race.

That happened last year on June 23 at Century Mile when he blew up the tote board when his Entitled Star won at odds of 25-1.

And that isn’t all. The Canadian record he broke was his own. In 2022, McKenzie also won with Entitled Star. This time at 47-1.

“It’s an honour. A really nice honour,” said McKenzie this week while sipping on a glass of water and eating a cookie a friend bakes and brings him on weekends at Billy Budds’ restaurant and bar in Edmonton where he likes to watch simulcast racing and hockey.

“It means a lot to me,” said the man of few words who is back training again in the frigid temperatures doing almost all the work by himself.

With Equibase’s statistics only going back to 1976 – when McKenzie had already trained for 21 years – it is estimated that he has won over 1,600 races. He also won over 300 races as a jockey until he got too heavy.

McKenzie started training in 1945 campaigning outstanding horses like Chariot Chaser, who won the Canadian, Saskatchewan and Alberta Derbies in 1965, and his all-time favourite Grandin Park, who won 29 races between 1972 and 1980.

“Grandin Park won just about every big race there was. The only race he didn’t win was the Canadian Derby. That was in 1973. I can still picture it. He got beat by a dirty nose by Wing Span a horse they sent from Toronto, who was owned by Kinghaven Farms,” said McKenzie, whose mind is as sharp as ever.

Starting riding thoroughbreds when he was only 13, when he was 17 he was Alberta’s B circuit leading jockey with 87 wins.

“And that was when we used to have 25 jockeys.

“We had a lot of fun back then,” said McKenzie, who was named Alberta’s Horseperson of the Year in 2014.

“You know I’ve been at the track for almost 85 years,” who was a 1927 New Year’s baby.

“I’ve seen a lot and I still enjoy it so why would I ever quit? What else would I do?”

And then there is Jennifer Buck, winner of the aforementioned Outstanding Off-Track Worker Award which is given to a nominee holding a paid position at an off-track thoroughbred racing, training, boarding, breeding, sales or aftercare farm/facility in Canada.

Buck, who is in her 12th year with Highfield Stock Farm in Okotoks, Alberta, which has been Alberta’s leading breeder by earnings four times, fits all the criteria.

“She’s the be all and end all of the farm,” said Adrian Munro, President of Highfield Investment Group, an investment company that oversees and manages assets across various sectors including real estate, construction, property management, oil & gas services, hospitality, and thoroughbred breeding.

“Her title is Farm Manager but she runs everything. There is no one more deserving; I’m very proud of her,” Munro said of Buck, who oversees the day-to-day operations of Highfields which includes handling successful sire Fed Biz and organizing his book of mares, foaling, yearling sales prep, and early training of yearlings before they embark on their careers at the racetrack.

“Her greatest asset is her desire to continue to learn. She wants to learn as much as she can. Her thirst for knowledge has never subsided.

“She’s incredibly dedicated to being the best she can be.”

Buck will tell you the same. She lives by the saying attributed to Arthur B. ‘Bull’ Hancock Jr. who was a famous breeder and owner of thoroughbreds at Claiborne Farms, Kentucky: “Doing the usual unusually well.”

“I always thought that was a great quote,” said Buck, who grew up on an acreage in Bragg Creek, Alberta where there were always a mix of horses and was only 13 years old when she bred her first mare.