The brilliant BC-bred filly AVANA was named the 2024 Horse of the Year and BC-Bred Horse of the Year at the 2024 annual awards ceremony at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver.
The successes of the daughter of US stallion Vino Rosso from the After Market mare Revealing Moment led to seven BC Awards on the night for the chestnut filly and her people.
Bred by Carol and Bryan Anderson, who were named Leading Breeders of 2024, Avana won all six of her races and over $150,000 last year for owner Peter Redekop and trainer Barbara Heads. She won five stakes races and a maiden race by a total of over 22 lengths and captured the BC Oaks, Century Casino Oaks at Century Mile, among other races. The filly’s only blemish was her fifth-place finish in her 2024 finale in the Zia Park Oaks in New Mexico in November.
Jockey Amadeo Perez, who rode Avana in all of her races last year, was the 2024 Leading Jockey.
Avana was originally a $60,000 Keeneland November weanling, a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling and finally a $150,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Two-Year-Old in Training purchase.
Avana’s dam Revealing Moment, the 2024 Outstanding Broodmare, won four of 17 races and over $127,000. She is a half-sister to millionaire and multiple Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey. Revealing Moment is the dam of one other winner and the 2024 placing two-year-old Revealing Sun.
The chestnut is already in steady training for 2025 and she was a finalist for the Sovereign Award for Champion Three-year-old Filly in Canada at the Jockey Club of Canada’s award ceremony on April 24.
STEVE HENSON was named Leading Trainer and won his first training title at Hastings in 2024. One of his owners, WILLOW CREEK FARM, owned by the late DAIREN EDWARDS and wife Tia and daughter Micayla, was named Leading Owner.
List of all winners at the 2024 BC Awards
Equine Insurance trophy for the breeder of the Sadie Diamond Futurity winner:
SOMEDAY LADY
Breeder: Helen Klimes & Willow Creek Farms
Marsh and McLennan trophy for the breeder of the Jack Diamond Futurity winner:
MOUNT DOOM
Breeder: William George Stewart
Champion Juvenile Sire, Champion Sire:
BAKKEN, 2010, by Distorted Humor — General Jeanne (Honour and Glory)
Broodmare of the Year:
REVEALING MOMENT, 2010, by After Market — Revealed (Old Trieste)
Dam of AVANA
Leading Breeder:
Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson
Leading Jockey:
Amadeo Perez
Leading Trainer:
Steve Henson
Leading Owners:
Willow Creek Farms
(Dairen & Makayla Edwards)
Richard Yates Backstretch Award:
Andrew “Drew” Levere
Hall of Fame Inductees:
HERE’S HANNAH, 2015, by Numaany – Dreams Start Here (A Fleets Dancer)
Terry Jordan
Wayne Russell
Lower Level Claimer of the Year (under $15,000):
QUEEN OF ATTITUDE, 2017, by Bakken — Deputy Princess (Silver Deputy)
Owner: Lorie Henson and Helen Klimes
Trainer: Steve Henson
Breeder: Helen Klimes
Upper Level Claimers of the Year (over $15,000):
BOLD ARCH, 2017, by Archarcharch — Daylight Cat (Discreet Cat)
Owner: John and Kim Morrison and Robin Sadler
Trainer: John D. Morrison
Breeder: J. Barry Doud
LUCKY FORCE (Amadeo Perez) — photo Michael Bye
Owner: Edwin Claggett
Trainer: Craig MacPherson
Breeder: Dustin Bud Downing
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
SOMEDAY LADY, 2022, by Cairo Prince — Tessanna (Storm Victory)
Owner: Jeffrey Sengara
Trainer: Cindy Krasner
Breeder: Helen Klimes & Willow Creek Farms
Champion 2-Year-Old Male B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
MOUNT DOOM, 2022, by Bakken — A Song For Arbonne (Arch)
Owner: Willow Creek Farms and Lorie Henson
Trainer: Steve Henson
Breeder: William George Stewart
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
AVANA, 2021, by Vino Rosso — Revealing Moment (After Market)
Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson
Champion 3-Year-Old Male B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
AUGUST RAIN, 2021, by Sungold — Bitatude (Super Saver)
Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd.
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Peter Redekop BC LTD
Champion Older Filly/Mare B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
INFINITE PATIENCE, 2017, by Sungold — Montero (Louis Quatorze)
Owner: William DeCoursey and R. N. H. Stable
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: William DeCoursey
Champion Older Male B.C. Bred Division:
LUCKY FORCE, 2020, by Counterforce — Check Point (Posse)
Owner: Edwin Claggett
Trainer: Craig MacPherson
Breeder: Dustin Bud Downing
Champion Older Male Open Division:
APPREHEND, 2019, Arrogate — Hero’s Amor (Street Hero)
Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Elevated Bloodstock & Raxon Cho
Champion Sprinter, B.C. Bred Horse of the Year, Open Horse of the Year:
AVANA, 2021, by Vino Rosso — Revealing Moment (After Market)
Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson
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