Here is a familiar scene at Ontario training centres and farms: babies learning their lessons. Here, Saul McHugh at Global Equine Limited in Milton, ON, leads a 2-year-old filly through the gate as she heads out for some light exercise on a January morning.
SOVEREIGN FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
Who is your favourite?
The Jockey Club of Canada will host the 41st Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony to honour the Canadian Champions of 2015 and to celebrate Thoroughbred racing in Canada on Friday, April 8, 2016 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The cocktail-attire celebration awards party will include an opportunity to walk the Sovereign Award Red Carpet upon arriving at the “bubbly” reception followed by a buffet-style gourmet dinner and the presentation of the Sovereign Award Trophies to Canada’s racing Champions of 2015 and Canada’s 2015 Horse of the Year.
Even if you are not a finalist, you’re invited to come and have fun and celebrate with the 2015 Champions of Thoroughbred Racing in Canada.
This year’s event will once again be held on the eve of the start of Thoroughbred racing in Canada with Woodbine Racetrack’s 2016 Thoroughbred season beginning the next day at 1:00 pm (EST), Saturday, April 9.
Tickets to the 41st Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony are $250 each and tables of 10 are slightly discounted at $2400. All tickets are plus applicable taxes and must be reserved in advance by contacting The Jockey Club of Canada at 416-675-7756 or email: jockeyclub@bellnet.ca
Plenty of horses were nominated in two categories: CAREN, CATCH A GLIMPSE, MISS MISCHIEF, STACKED DECK and the latter three figure to win at least one award.
The nominees offer a wide variety of the establishment owners and farms and the newcomers and even some visitors who love to race at Woodbine.
Owner and breeder IVAN DALOS (Tall Oaks Farm) has been in the game a long time and had one of the best years of his time in racing with a litany of stakes winners bred, some that he owned himself.
The HORSE OF THE YEAR trophy figures to come down to CATCH A GLIMPSE, the 2-year-old filly who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf for co-owners Mike Ambler, Greg Lang, Gary Barber and Jeff Begg’s Windways Farm and ACADEMIC, the 3-year-old filly who won three major races in Canada in three different provinces for Bear Stables.
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly:
Ami’s Mesa
Caren
Catch a Glimpse
Gamble’s Ghost
Champion Two-Year-Old Male:
Amis Gizmo
Conquest Daddyo
Riker
Shakhimat
Champion Three-Year-Old Female:
Academic
Brooklynsway
Don’t Leave Me
London Tower
Champion Three-Year-Old Male:
Breaking Lucky
Danish Dynaformer
Lucky Lindy
Shaman Ghost
Champion Older Female:
Cactus Kris
Miss Mischief
Touching Promise
Uchenna (Ire)
Champion Older Male:
Are You Kidding Me
Golden Sabre
Melmich
Stacked Deck
Champion Female Turf Horse:
Button Down (GB)
Catch a Glimpse
Habibi (NZ)
Strut the Course
Champion Male Turf Horse:
Are You Kidding Me
Danish Dynaformer
Interpol
Reporting Star
Champion Female Sprinter:
Cactus Kris
Caren
Miss Mischief
Skylander Girl
Champion Male Sprinter:
Bye Bye Bernie
Calgary Cat
Stacked Deck
Tower of Texas
Outstanding Broodmare:
Awesome Lass
Rare Opportunity
Star Guest
Uproar
Outstanding Breeder:
Adena Springs
Eugene Melnyk
Sam-Son Farm
Tall Oaks Farm
Outstanding Owner:
Conquest Stables, LLC
Ivan Dalos
Riversedge Racing Stables Ltd.
Sam-Son Farm
Outstanding Trainer:
Kevin Attard
Roger Attfield
Josie Carroll
Mark Casse
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey:
Fanny Crausaz
Kayla Pizarro
Erika Smilovsky
Isabelle Wenc
Outstanding Jockey:
Luis Contreras
Eurico Da Silva
Patrick Husbands
Rico Walcott
RE-VISIT SOME OF THE BIG NAMES FROM 2015 AS WE APPROACH THE SOVEREIGN AWARDS
Talkin’ Horses had 21 episodes last year, here’s one that was a goodie!
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
AWFULLY SINFUL put Gina and Mike Wright into the winner’s circle at Tampa Bay Downs on Wednesday when she won a $10,000 claiming race at 7 furlongs.
The Ontario bred mare by El Corredor – Sinful by Touch Gold came from last and won by 2 1/2 lengths under jockey Gary Wales. She earned $8,700 for the victory and she was bred by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms.
Sovereign Award nominee AMI’S MESA had her 5th workout of the season on Wednesday, rolling 5 furlongs on the grass at Palm Meadows in 1:00.70. The Sky Mesa filly could return to action in the next 2 weeks for owner Ivan Dalos and perhaps she will take part in the SWEETEST CHANT STAKES against fellow Sovereign nominee CATCH A GLIMPSE...stay tuned.
ANDY STRONACH AND THE PICK 6 SWEEPSTAKES AT PORTLAND MEADOWS
Canadian champion ALPHA BETTOR also at Portland Meadows
On January 19 (Tuesday), the second NATIONAL RACING CLUB SELLING SWEEPSTAKES 1 took place at Portland Meadows in Oregon.
It is a 6-race, Pick 6 event with all races at 2 furlongs and all horses owned by Andy Stronach’s racing “clubs”: Ohio racing Club, Oregon racing Club plus those named for British Columbia, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, California, West Virginia and New York.
The fields are huge, however the races are short, so perhaps it is like workouts for the horses but you can bet the events in a Pick 6 format.
Daily Racing Form covered the new wager and initiative recently:
http://www.drf.com/news/portland-meadows-rainbow-pick-6-races-come-one-color
Andy Stronach is the breeder of 2015 Sovereign Award nominee MELMICH. His father FRANK STRONACH has recently pitched an idea for a $12 million horse racing with 12 owners to put up $1 million to compete.
ALPHA BETTOR has been working at Portland Meadows as well. The 8-year-old champion last raced late last year for Bulldog racing and trainer Dan Vella.
