The Jockey Club of Canada has announced that Sam-Son Farm will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award during the 46th annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony. Selected by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the Special Sovereign Award honors those who have accomplished outstanding achievements and made a significant contribution to the thoroughbred industry in Canada.
Sam-Son Farm is a Canadian thoroughbred breeding and racing operation founded in 1972 by Ernie and Liza Samuel. In 1975, Ernie Samuel purchased No Class and Loudrangle at a Woodbine yearling sale. Together they became the foundation of Sam-Son Farm’s extraordinary broodmare band. No Class is the dam of four champions including Classy ‘n Smart, whose daughter, the brilliant Dance Smartly, won the 1991 Canadian Triple Crown. Sam-Son has been the recipient of four Eclipse Awards, 13 Hall of Fame Awards, and 84 Sovereign Awards. Sam-Son campaigned five Queen’s Plate winners, eight Woodbine Oaks winners, and 60 graded stakes winners.
Ernie Samuel was honoured with Man of the Year by the Jockey Club at the 1991 Sovereign Awards.
Michelle Gibson will be presented with the 2020 Outstanding Groom Award. Gibson has worked on the Woodbine backstretch for more than 20 years and is currently employed by trainer Robert Tiller. She is the groom for perennial Canadian champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd, who is a finalist in two 2020 Sovereign Award categories.
Listed below are the 2020 Sovereign Award media finalists. This year’s entries were evaluated by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America. A 4-2-1 points system was used to determine the first, second and third-place finalists in each category.
Digital Audio/visual and Broadcast Category:
Santino Di Paola – Dear Horse Racing
Horse Racing Alberta – Canadian Derby Year of the Mask
Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen’s Plate
Photograph Category:
Rusty Barton – The Race Goes on a Year Without Fans
Michael Burns – Training Before Dawn
Lisa M. Thompson – One Rider Two Horses
Will Wong – Mambointheforest
Writing Category:
Muriel Lennox – Northern Dancer: A virile stable genius – appeared TORONTO STAR, Feb. 2020
Chris Lomon – The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen’s Plate Crown – appeared on Ontario Racing website
Bruce McDougall – Riding for Freedom – Book on Eurico Rosa da Silva
The Jockey Club of Canada will announce all 2020 Sovereign Award winners in an online ceremony in April.
More from Industry:
