The Jockey Club of Canada announces changes to 2010 Sovereign Awards Ceremony

The Jockey Club of Canada will host their 36th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony to honour the Canadian Champions of 2010, on Friday, April 1, 2011, on the third floor of Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario. Woodbine Entertainment Group will join in the celebration as they get ready to kick-off their 2011 Live Thoroughbred meet on Saturday, April 2, the start of thoroughbred racing in Canada.

“This new format for the Sovereign Awards will be both an exciting review of our champions from last season and a wonderful opportunity to kick-off thoroughbred racing across Canada for 2011,” commented Jim Lawson, Chief Steward of The Jockey Club of Canada.

“Woodbine Entertainment Group is thrilled to provide the venue for the Sovereign Awards,” said Nick Eaves, President and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group. “In addition to honouring the Thoroughbred industry Champions of 2010, this event will be a great way to kick-off the exciting 2011 Woodbine Thoroughbred season.”

This elegant cocktail-attire celebration will include a welcome back reception, a buffet-style gourmet dinner, and thrilling entertainment along with the evening’s feature event, the presentation of the Sovereign Award Trophies to Canada’s Racing Champions of 2010.

To promote equal opportunity in determining the winners of the 17 award categories as well as the four media award categories, the voting will commence after the end of Woodbine’s 2010 thoroughbred meet on December 5, the end of live thoroughbred racing in Canada in 2010.

The deadline for the completed ballots will be in early January, 2011 and the three nominees in each category will be announced shortly thereafter.

The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry and to promote improvements to Thoroughbred racing and breeding, both in Canada and internationally.  The Jockey Club of Canada also operates as a field office of The Jockey Club (New York); organizes the Sovereign Awards; administers the Canadian Graded Stakes program; liaises with foreign Jockey Clubs; promotes Thoroughbred ownership; and represents Canada at international racing conferences.

For more information on The Jockey Club of Canada’s annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony contact Stacie Roberts at 416-675-7756; email jockeyclub@bellnet.ca or visit http://www.jockeyclubcanada.com/.

More from Canadian Thoroughbred:

Historical Races at Woodbine This Weekend

With stakes races on tap almost each weekend at Woodbine, it is important to revisit some of the famous horses who have won these events.

My Boy Prince May Not Be Caught in Commonwealth

The Canadian champion has found a cozy spot to strut his stuff in Churchill Downs' Grade 3 turf stakes race worth $300,000.

Ontario Iron Horse Lapochka, 11, Retired From Racing

The popular chestnut gelding, bred in Ontario by Richard Lister, has been retired by Eight Star Racing Stable and Vito Armata.

CTHS Digital Mixed Sale Bidding Open; 69 Offered

In a milestone event, the CTHS Ontario has launched its first digital sale with 60 mares, yearlings, weanlings and more up for bids.