Canadian Derby (G3) winner REAL GRACE was named Alberta’s 2020 Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Male at the virtual Alberta Awards night May 20 presented by the CTHS Alberta. This was the 47th annual Alberta Awards ceremony which was broadcast on Facebook on the Alberta Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Page.
Real Grace (Mineshaft – True Way of Grace by Yes It’s True) came to Canada for his fourth career race for trainer and co-owner Shelley Brown in July 2020. The dark bay gelding won the Derby Trial at Assiniboia Downs and was fifth in the Manitoba Derby. Moved to Century Mile, the gelding finished second in the Count Lathum Stakes and two starts later scored an 18 to 1 upset win in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby, winning by a neck under Mauricio Malvaez, named the year’s top apprentice jockey. Real Grace is a Kentucky-bred who is back in training at Assiniboia Downs with Brown.
RICO WALCOTT won his ninth Outstanding Jockey trophy, returning in 2020 following brain surgery and TIM RYCROFT won his third straight Outstanding Trainer award.
ALBERTA’S THOROUGHBRED AWARD WINNERS 2020
The Horse Racing Alberta Trophy
Horse of the Year: REAL GRACE
Trainer: Shelley Brown
Owner: Shelley Brown, Jean McEwan, Bette Holtman, Bernell Rhone
Breeder: Peter Johnson
B G 3 by Mineshaft – True Way of Grace (Yes It’s True)
2020: 9 Starts – 2 wins – 3 second – 0 thirds – $89,162
Winner: Derby Trial Stakes, Canadian Derby (G3)
The H.B.P.A. Trophy
Champion Claimer: SOMETHING ABOUT ME
Trainer: Allen Goodsell
Owner: Carter Goodsell
Breeder: Paul Treasure & Harry Bettis
CH F 4 by Boos – Justbluffin (Pine Bluff)
2020: 9 Starts – 5 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $39,424
Winner: Allowance Optional Claiming, Claiming
The Century Downs Racetrack and Casino Trophy
Champion Sprinter: STONE CARVER
Trainer: Tim Rycroft
Owner: Riversedge Racing Stables Ltd.
Breeder: T/C Stable, LLC
B G 5 by Birdstone – Vermilion Sea (Boundary)
2020: 7 Starts – 1 wins – 3 second – 0 thirds – $42,290
Winner: Journal Handicap (BT)
The Dwight McLellan Memorial Trophy
Champion Two Year Old Filly: SHE LIKES TO PARTY
Trainer: Greg Tracy
Owner: Don Danard
Breeder: Lou Neve
B F 2 by Maclean’s Music – Gone to Party (All Gone)
2020: 4 Starts – 3 wins – 0 second – 0 thirds – $81,000
Winner: Princess Margaret Stakes, Freedom of the City Stakes (BT)
The Rocky Mountain Turf Club Trophy
Champion Two Year Old Colt: BANG ON*
Trainer: Craig Smith
Owner: True North Stables Ltd.
Breeder: Running Fawcett Thoroughbreds Ltd.
B C 2 by Commissioner – Next Big Nothin’ (Forest Wildcat)
2020: 5 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 thirds – $59,264
Winner: Birdcatcher Stakes (BT)
The Dave Kapchinsky Memorial Trophy
Champion Three Year Old Filly: PEARL OF KNOWLEDGE*
Trainer: Karline Kingston
Owner: Don Danard & Jim Juris
Breeder: Starline Thoroughbreds
B F 3 by Cape Canaveral – Lil Missknowitall (Kafwain)
2020: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 2 second – 1 thirds – $54,760
Winner: Alberta Oaks
Sponsored by Bar None Ranches Ltd.
Champion Three Year Old Colt: REAL GRACE
Trainer: Shelley Brown
Owner: Shelley Brown, Jean McEwan, Bette Holtman, Bernell Rhone
Breeder: Peter Johnson
B G 3 by Mineshaft – True Way of Grace (Yes It’s True)
2020: 9 Starts – 2 wins – 3 second – 0 thirds – $89,162
Winner: Derby Trial Stakes, Canadian Derby (G3)
The Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd. Trophy
Champion Older Mare: SUNBURST
Trainer: Barbara Heads
Owner: Russell & Lois Bennett
Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. R J Bennett
CH F 4 by Sungold – Tierra Del Feugo (Finality)
2020: 4 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 thirds – $70,560
Winner: Redtail Landing Handicap, Northlands Distaff Handicap (Listed)
The Century Mile Racetrack and Casino Trophy
Champion Older Horse: GO AWAY
Trainer: James Brown
Owner: Kirk Sutherland
Breeder: Lynch Bages Ltd.
B G 4 by Scat Daddy – Elbow (Woodman)
2020: 11 Starts – 3 wins – 3 second – 3 thirds – $80,980
Winner: Don Getty Handicap (BT)
The Ted Connor Memorial Trophy
Champion Alberta-bred: MASKWECIS*
Trainer: Ron K Smith
Owner: Jim & Carole Barker, Red Ron Farms
Breeder: Doug Oberg
B G 3 by Jimmy Creed – Maidstone (Aptitude)
2020: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 second – 1 thirds – $57,760
Winner: Western Canada Handicap, Beaufort Stakes
Sponsored by the H.B.P.A.
Leading Apprentice Jockey: MAURICIO MALVAEZ
Starts: 191 Wins: 16 Seconds: 27 Thirds: 16
Earnings $280,625
Canadian Sovereign Apprentice Jockey, Mauricio Malvaez, was the top apprentice last season at Century Mile with 16 wins including a victory in the biggest race in Alberta, the Canadian Derby (G3).
The Lou Davies Memorial Trophy
Leading Jockey: RICO WALCOTT
Starts: 204 Wins: 68 Seconds: 39 Thirds: 38
Earnings $820,968
Rico Walcott returned to the track last season after a health battle sidelined him in 2019. This award becomes the ninth Leading Jockey title for Rico in the past ten years.
The H.B.P.A. Trophy
Leading Trainer: TIM RYCROFT
Starts: 237 Wins: 42 Seconds: 38 Thirds: 46
Earnings $646,551
Tim Rycroft earned the third Leading Trainer title for the third consecutive year with Rycroft trained horses earning over $640,000 and 42 wins last season. The top runner for Tim in 2020 was the multiple stakes placed Alberta bred runner, Saveitforarainyday.
The C.T.H.S. Trophy
Leading Breeder: HIGHFIELD INVESTMENT GROUP
Starts: 74 Wins: 16 Seconds: 4 Thirds: 7
Earnings: $290,736
The Leading Breeder goes to Highfield Investment Group for a season that saw horses bred by Highfield earn over $290,000 with 16 wins. The top Highfield bred horse last season was Jasper Shine, out of their multiple stakes winning mare, Golden Made.
The Jockey Club of Canada Trophy
Leading Owner: RIVERSEDGE RACING STABLES LTD.
Starts: 130 Wins: 23 Seconds: 25 Thirds: 23
Earnings: $417,781
The Leading Owner title was awarded to Riversedge Racing Stables Ltd. for back to back awards in this category. Horses owned by Riversedge earned over $400,000 with 23 wins. The leading earners for Riversedge last season include Stone Carver, Bareback Jack and Dad’s Legacy.
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