While the memories and reviews of 2025 roll in from all parts of the world, Canadian Thoroughbred racing had some stellar performers during the year, coast to coast. A select group of horsepeople and media will be filling out the ballots of the champions of 2025 for the 51st Sovereign Awards on January 12 through January 25. Packages will be emailed on Jan. 6.
That is plenty of time for voters to decide which horses ruled their respective divisions in 2025. Hopefully, gone are the days when voters simply ticked off the richest horses, owners or trainers and instead, give thought to what each horse and human did during the year in their category. If a horse won a pile of stakes out west, respect those runners even if the purses are not as high or the Beyer Speed Figures are a bit lower. Take a look at the horse and human’s body of work.
A few of the categories will be very difficult to sort out, as there were not too many dominant runners in 2025.
Here is a summary of a few contenders in each division:
Two-year-old colt
There were more than a dozen juvenile colt or gelding stakes winners in Canada in 2025.
The major races were the Grade 1 Summer Stakes, won by ARGOS, who is eligible for a Sovereign as he also finished third in the Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine.
The Grey Stakes (G3) was won by a horse who did not have two starts in Canada, The Big Con (GB).
The Coronation Futurity went to FIRE AND WINE (16-to-1), whose previous win had been in a maiden $40,000 claiming race. The Cup & Saucer on the grass was won by the filly DIXIE LAW.
The Soaring Free Stakes was won by TWO OUT HERO, who was a close third in the Summer. CASSON (Victoria Stakes), DEBRUSK (three stakes in BC at two different distances) and RELAXGODOITRAMONE (three stakes in Alberta) are also contenders.
Two-year-old filly
The undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes, CORSIA VELOCE, dominated and DIXIE LAW was not far behind. Dixie Law won the Grade 3 Mazarine and the Cup & Saucer on turf over the boys. PIPER’S GIFT was very strong in her lopsided wins in the Glorious Song Stakes and Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
Three-year-old colt
There were a few very nice sophomore males racing in Canada in 2025. In British Columbia, RONDELITO put together an impressive resume. The dark bay won more stakes races than any other three-year-old in Canada: he took the Grade 3 BC Derby the Sir Winston Churchill, Chris Loseth and R. McLeod Stakes.
The well-traveled TAKE CHARGE TOM won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and the Manitoba Derby as well as the Mine That Bird Derby and Riley Allison Derby, both at Sunland Park in New Mexico, and the Derby Trial at Assiniboia Downs.
And in Ontario, MANSETTI upset the King’s Plate at 18-to-1, but also won the Grade 3 Marine Stakes and Woodstock Stakes. He was second in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby and Princes of Wales Stakes also. BOREALIS TRAIL won the Grade 3 Ontario Derby over Mansetti and RUNAWAY AGAIN won the Princes of Wales.
Three-year-old filly
The western Canadian horses CHI CHI TIME, who was undefeated in four races, three of them stakes, and WELCOMETOHOLLYWOOD, three straight stakes wins, seem to have a good chance to scoop the Sovereign.
Ch Chi Time won her four races by almost 29 lengths in total, and who knows what she would have done had she not acted up in the gate two other times and been scratched.
Welcometohollywood breezed through her stakes wins, winning the three in Manitoba and Alberta by a total of 23 lengths. She was also second in three other stakes races.
No doubt the Woodbine Oaks winner NO TIME will grab some votes and she had one other stakes placing during the year. Her stablemate WINTERBERRY won two stakes races including the Bison City and she was third in the Oaks.
Older Male Main track
Woodbine’s five major graded stakes for older horses were won by FIVE different horses, one of which (Funtastic) is not eligible for a Sovereign. Those winners were CLASSIC MO TOWN, COOL KISS, DRESDEN ROW and SWIFT DELIVERY. Of those four, only Dresden Row added graded stakes placings, two of them.
Out west, JUDO won three straight stakes with Beyer Figures in the mid- to high-80s and placed in one other stakes, all at Assiniboia Downs. RUN RUDOLF won two stakes races at Hastings Racecourse.
However, voters may want to consider older male sprinters on the main track, such as SIMCOE, who won two graded stakes races at Woodbine, JUDO (previously mentioned) or stakes winner ITSALLGOODMAN.
Older Female Main Track
Stakes winners in this category include CAITLINHERGRTNESS, who won the Grade 3 Ontario Matron and Belle Mahone Stakes and won the My Charmer at Turfway. She also placed in three other graded stakes races (one on turf).
BIG HUG won four stakes races in Alberta, was third in in two Grade 3’s at Santa Anita, while AVANA won four stakes in succession in BC and Alberta.
Male Turf
GAS ME UP won the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 29 and earlier won the King Edward Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.
MY BOY PRINCE won the 6 furlong Elusive Quality Stakes at Aqueduct and was second in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes and a close second in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes. CRUDEN BAY won the Grade 2 Connaught Cup and the two-year-old ARGOS won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes.
Female Turf
Not many to choose from here, as most of the major grass-winning distaffers in Canada are not eligible for a Sovereign (Ocean Club, Breath Away, She Feels Pretty).
READY FOR SHIRL won the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes, was secnd in the Canadian Stakes (G2), third in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor and third in the Dance Smartly Stakes (G3). Other grass stakes winners included Grade 3 Royal North winner MS TART, Wonder Where Stakes winner ARISTELLA and two-time stakes winner LITTLE TEDDY.
Male Sprinter
Some of the contenders for this category include two-time graded stakes winner SIMCOE (Grade 3 Vigil and Bold Venture and second in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier), four-time sprint stakes winner ITSALLGOODMAN, turfers MY BOY PRINCE and GAS ME UP.
Female Sprinter
Another mish-mash of contenders since many of the big races at Woodbine were won by non-eligible gals (Les Reyes, Creeds Gold, Earhart, Elysian Field and Oujda).
Stakes winners in this category include MS. TART, who won the Grade 3 Royal North, the Satin N Lace at Presque Isle, and was third in the Grade 3 Whimsical and Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway.
GAL IN A RUSH won the Grade 2 Presque Isle Masters, was second in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion and Grade 3 Whimsical and third in the Satin in Lace.
TICKER TAPE HOME placed in five graded stakes races at sprint distances.
HORSE OF THE YEAR
The contenders could be, alphabetically, BIG HUG, CAITLINGHERGRTNESS, CORSIA VELOCE, GAS ME UP, MANSETTI, RONDELITO, SIMCOE, TAKE CHARGE TOM. It should be a close finish.
The Broodmare (a lifetime award), Owner, Trainer, Breeder and Jockey categories are either logical or confusing. I will stay away.
The Sovereign Awards will be held on April 23, 2026 at the Paramount Eventspace in Woodbridge ON.
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