The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce that Ivan Dalos will be presented with the E. P. Taylor Award of Merit during the 47th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 14, 2022 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.

Ivan Dalos, owner of Tall Oaks Farm, has dedicated more than 45 years to the sport of thoroughbreds and has made numerous significant contributions to Canadian Horse Racing. He has worked tirelessly to support the Canadian Breeding Industry and has celebrated extensive successes. As the owner of 38 broodmares and 3 stallions in Ontario, Ivan has bred Champions such as Eclipse Award Winners Victory Gallop and Channel Maker and has won more than 12 Sovereign Awards including multiple wins as Outstanding Breeder. Ivan is the owner and or breeder of Champions Amis Gizmo, Conquest Enforcer and Johnny Bear to name a few.

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. He is currently employed by Michael Doyle whom he has been working with for more than 14 years. Denzil is dedicated, hard-working and extremely diligent while making sure that each of the horses in his care are his number one priority. Denzil has cared for several incredible horses during his career such as 2017 Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate winner Holy Helena for Stronach Stables and multiple stakes winner Tiz Imaginary for Windhaven Farms Inc.

The Jockey Club of Canada is also pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 Sovereign Awards Media categories. Judging for the Media Awards is performed by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America. A 4-2-1 points system is used to determine the first, second, and third place finalists in each category.

CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED is represented by SUSAN STAFFORD-POOLEY and HAYLEY MORRISON in the writing category.

This is Susan’s first nomination and her story “The View (and Some Tales) from the Starting Gate” appeared on September 22, 2021 on this site. You can read it here.

Hayley, a previous Sovereign Award winner, is a regular contributor to Canadian Thoroughbred, and her story “New Races, New Faces: How I Fell for the Fort” can be read here.

An excerpt from the new book Run With a Mighty Heart, by Jennifer Morrison, which is among the finalists, appeared in the printed edition of Canadian Thoroughbred Sire Book, December 2021, and also online here.

Listed in alphabetical order, the Media finalists are:

Writing Category:

Hayley MorrisonNew 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 StockReal Grace’s Winning Ways an Inspiration for Brown to Keep Fighting Terminal Diagnosis (thehorses.com and CanadianThoroughbred.com)

Digital Audio/visual and Broadcast Category:

Peter Gross – Down The Stretch Episode 83 – AUGUST 23, 2021 show following the Queen’s Plate.

Horse Racing Alberta – 25th Anniversary Alberta Breeders Fall Classic

Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen’s Plate

Photograph Category:

Jeff Bowen – I’vegotmyeyeonyou –

Ivegotmyeyeonyou – by Jeff Bowen

 

Rebecca Gullett – Going the Distance

Going the Distance, by Rebecca Gullett

 

3rd photo nominee Will Wong – Welcome Back

Welcome Back, by Will Wong

 

 

The winner in each of the three Media Award categories will be announced, along with the other Sovereign Award winners and Canada’s Horse of the Year during the 47th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 14, 2022 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario

Current Sovereign Award Sponsors:

Outstanding Groom Award Sponsor: OLG

Platinum Plus: Woodbine Entertainment Group

Platinum: HBPA of Ontario

Gold Sponsors: Ontario Racing

Silver Sponsors: Assiniboia Downs

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.

For more information on The Jockey Club of Canada’s annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony contact 416-675-7756 or [email protected].