The super third-place finish by English Conqueror in the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine Oct. 24 brought forth once again the successful Thoroughbred bloodlines curated by William ‘Bill’ Sorokolit.
The lightly raced 3-year-old by English Channel was produced from the mare Regal Conqueror, a stakes winning daughter of Grade 1 winner Sky Conqueror (Sky Classic|0 , the best horse Bill ever raced and a Grade 1 winner and Sovereign Award champion.
In fact English Conqueror is a fourth generation Sorokolit-bred tracing back to his $42,000 yearling purchase Native Rights, an Our Native filly, in 1987.
Just a few days before English Conqueror’s nice Breeders’ run, Bill Sorokolit passed away at his home (see obituary below). His son Bill, Jr., who has raced his own stable of horses, races English Conqueror under JWS Stable.
Native Rights produced eight winners including Grade 2 stakes winner, Grade 1 placed CLASSIC STAMP, who won over $900,000 for Sorokolit. Classic Stamp is the dam of Regal Conqueror as well as stakes-placed Classic Bryce.
After Sky Conqueror’s Northern Dancer Stakes victory – horse-races.net
Native Rights is also the dam of PRIZED STAMP, a Grade 2 stakes winner by the sire Prized, who Sorokolit liked very much. Prized Stamp produced stakes winner and current stallion Town Prize, who stands at Curraghmore Farm in Waterdown alongside Sky Conqueror.
As for Sky Conqueror, he descends from IRISH INTRIGUE, an unraced Irish Castle mare who essentially started it all for Bill in horse racing. Dam of stakes placed Irish Ballerina, Irish Intrigue is the granddam of stakes winner Ballerina Queen, dam of Heavenly Ballerina who produced Sky Conqueror.
The familiar red and white diamond silks of Sorokolit runners have been seen for decades and the pedigree lines are popular.
In addition to the horses mentioned, others in those bloodlines include PALACE PIER, UNION PLACE (G3), READY AND ALLURING (dam of multiple stakes winner EXECUTIVE ALLURE) , APALCHIAN CHIEF and many more.
Bill was proud of his horses and their lineage and strongly supported his two stallions. It is good to see the horses continuing on for Bill Jr. with trainer Banach.
His business, Consulate Development Group was founded in the late 1970s. From his business’s website , William (Bill) began his real estate career as a salesperson in the industrial/commercial division of A. E. Lepage in Toronto in 1967. After obtaining his broker’s licence in 1969, Bill became a stakeholder in several real estate development projects throughout the GTA.
In 1978, Bill re-branded the company as Consulate Development Group. Today, his two sons, John Sorokolit and Bill Sorokolit, along with daughter Susan O’Brien, have continued to maintain Consulate’s reputation as an industry pioneer in the development and management of more than a dozen major projects. They also hold their real estate licenses and are registered salespersons under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (Ontario) with Sorokolit Realty Corporation – the family’s brokerage arm.
Bill Sorokolit Sr. at left with the Sovereign Award earned by Sky Conqueror. Shown with trainer Darwin Banach and Stacie Roberts. – Horse-Races.net photo
Family’s Obituary: legacy.com
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Bill Sorokolit Sr. in his home surrounded by his loving family.
Bill was a beloved and devoted husband to Bonnie (Czajka) for 62 years. He was the proud father of Susan (Kevin O’Brien), John (Dana), Bill (Heather) and loving grandfather to Brooke (Kyle), Jordan (Caroline), Max, Amanda, Melissa, Laurelle and Cassandra. Bill was predeceased by his father Andrew, his mother Anna and his brother Peter Sorokolit (Shirley).
Bill showed ambition from an early age. As a young boy he organized his friends to sell the updated hockey line up outside Maple Leaf Gardens. At the age of 16, while still in high school Bill worked part time at Rumble Motors selling cars and it wasn’t long before he was awarded top salesman. Bill went on to study Commerce and Finance at the University of Toronto. A lifelong entrepreneur, Bill manufactured and distributed Resdan, which became a top selling dandruff treatment product in Canada
. By the age of 36, real estate piqued Bill’s interest. He secured his brokers license and became a land developer of planned communities such as Deer Run, Mississauga Meadows, Riverview Heights and Dunbar Meadows.
Despite a busy career Bill found time to pursue his passion of breeding and racing thoroughbred horses. He bought his first horse in 1950, and 56 years later celebrated his best year to date on the heels of the success of his homebred runner and Sovereign Award winner Sky Conqueror. In 2006 the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association awarded Bill Breeder of the Year
. Bill was a family man and made sure all special occasions were well celebrated. He took joy in the antics of many close friends and enjoyed wintering in Florida with his sweetheart Bonnie especially when his children and grandchildren came south to visit. Bill lived a full life by anyone’s standards, never complaining when his illness made life a little tougher. It is with heavy hearts and tears that we say goodbye to our wonderful, kind and loving husband and father and grandfather. A private family funeral has taken place and will be followed by a celebration of Bill’s life at a future date when restrictions are lifted. Donations in memory of Bill can be made to Parkinson Canada
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