Rondelito is BC's Horse of the Year, Andersons Inducted

It was a memorable night at the March 15 BC Awards for the Steve Henson barn, as B.C. Derby hero RONDELITO was crowned Open and B.C.-bred Horse of the Year, as well as Open and B.C.-bred Three-Year-Old of the Year, while team Henson stalwart Jo-Anne McDonald was, along with Josh McNeil, the co-recipient of the Richard Yates Backstretch Award.

The annual event was again extremely well supported by the racing community with, for the first year, Wild Hearts Thoroughbred Adoption Society taking on fund-raising duties, which included a popular silent auction and a 50-50 draw.

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The evening also saw the induction into the B.C. Horse Racing Hall of Fame of long-time breeders, Bryan and Carol Anderson, trainer Cindy Krasner, media guru Greg “Dr. Sport” Douglas and Love Your Host, a multiple Stakes winner at what was then Exhibition Park back in the 1970s.

Rondelito won the Grade 3 B C Derby at 1 1/8 miles as part of a five race winning streak the son of Lent had at Hastings racecourse last summer. He also won the Chris Loseth, Sir Winston Churchill and R. McLeod Stakes. More photos can be found here.

The B.C. Award winners are listed below:

Open Horse of the Year/ B.C. Bred Horse of the Year
RONDELITO (2022, dk b/br g by Lent – Vandelita (Street Sense))
Owner: Lorie Henson
Trainer: Steve Henson
Breeder: Christine Elena Ammann

Champion Sprinter
BOLD ARCH (2017, dk b/br g by Archarcharch – Daylight Cat (Discreet Cat))
Owner: John and Kim Morrison and Robin Sadler
Trainer: John D. Morrison
Breeder: J. Barry Doud

Champion Older Male B.C. Bred & Open Divisions
RUN RUDOLF (2021, dk b/br g Pop Artist – Tempered Steel (Tempered Appeal))
Owner: Randy Lane and Roy Nelson
Trainer: Cindy Krasner
Breeder: Nite & Day Stable

Champion Older Filly/Mare B.C. Bred & Open Divisions
AVANA (2021, ch m 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
RONDELITO (2022, dk b/br g by Lent – Vandelita (Street Sense))
Owner: Lorie Henson
Trainer: Steve Henson
Breeder: Christine Elena Ammann

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly B.C. Bred & Open Divisions
CHI CHI TIME (2022, b f by Finality – Amarachi (Northern Afleet))
Owner: Wil – A – Way Farm, Gail C. Jewsbury and Pat Jarvis
Trainer: Pat Jarvis
Breeder: Gladys Dittloff & Karen Dittloff

Champion 2-Year-Old Male B.C. Bred & Open Divisions
DEBRUSK (2023, ch g by Finality — Real Vain (Western Trick))
Owner: Dino Condilenios, Jordan Froelich, Georges Georgeopoulos and Terry Georgeopoulos
Trainer: Dino K. Condilenios
Breeder: Red Rock Farm

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly B.C. Bred & Open Divisions
KARENSNOTIMPRESSED (2023, dk b/br f by Sungold – Archery (Yes It’s True))
Owner: Jordan Froelich
Trainer: Dino Condilenios
Breeder: Terry Clyde & Mike Anderson

Upper Level Claimer of the Year (over $15,000)
BOLD ARCH (2017, dk b/br g by Archarcharch – Daylight Cat (Discreet Cat))
Owner: John and Kim Morrison and Robin Sadler
Trainer: John D. Morrison
Breeder: J. Barry Doud

Lower Level Claimer of the Year (under $15,000)
AVE’S IN COMMAND (2017, dk b/br g by Second in Command – Gabbigotherway (Quiet Cash)
Owner: Robert Maybin and Sheena Maybin
Trainer: Robert Maybin
Breeder: James L. G. Redekop

Equine Insurance trophy for the breeder of the Sadie Diamond Futurity winner
KARENSNOTIMPRESSED
Breeder: Terry Clyde & Mike Anderson

Marsh and McLennan trophy for the breeder of the Jack Diamond Futurity winner
DEBRUSK
Breeder: Red Rock Farm

Champion Juvenile Sire:
SUNGOLD (2002, ch h by A.P. Indy – Queen’s Word (Kingmambo))

Champion Sire:
COUNTERFORCE (2013, dk b/br h by Smart Strike — Achieving (Bernardini))

Broodmare of the Year:
REVEALING MOMENT (After Market – Revealed (Old Trieste))

Leading Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson

Leading Jockey: Amadeo Perez

Leading Apprentice Jockey: Richard Balgobin

Leading Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads

Leading Owners: Robert Maybin and Sheena Maybin

Richard Yates Backstretch Award:
Jo-Anne McDonald
Josh McNeil

The Diamond Award of Excellence:
Lee Haslam