2/ MAY 2024 THE RIDER


Sovereign Awards Continued from Page 1


Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmon- ton, and Saskatoon.


Outstanding Writing:


JENNIFER MORRISON Cat’s Long Way Home Published December 31, 2023 on Canadian Thor- oughbred.com


Outstanding Photograph: JASON HALSTEAD


A Kiss for Commando Published: September 22, 2023 in The Inside Track Issue #98


Outstanding Audio


Visual/Digital Broadcast: WOODBINE


ENTERTAINMENT


Secretariat The Last Race Aired on TSN on October 8, 2023


Outstanding Groom:


MICHELLE ARMATA Being from one of the


most successful racing fam- ilies in Canada, horse racing is an integral part of Michelle Armata. Her fa- ther, Joe, was a trainer at Woodbine and Michelle would often visit the stable, despite being a bit scared of horses when she was young. Michelle studied Early


Childhood Education in the latter part of her school years, working hours to- wards her diploma, until one day she decided her life was with horses. There was a litany of family members at Woodbine by then, includ- ing her brother Steve and sister Josie. She was in her 20s when she started work- ing there, first for Joe, and then for Steve. “My brother and his wife Sharon taught me a lot about grooming horses,” said Michelle. “I was taught horsemanship the old school way.” After leaving the track


to start a family – she has two children with her hus- band, trainer Ross Armata, Jr., - Michelle returned to work for her brother-in-law, Mike De Paulo and his wife and


assistant, Michelle’s sister.


Outstanding Off-track Worker:


JENNIFER BUCK The inaugural Out-


standing Off-track Worker Award will be presented this evening to Jennifer Buck, who has been with Adrian Munro’s Highfield Stock Farm in Okotoks, Alberta since 2013. The Jockey Club of Canada introduced the Outstanding Off-track Worker Award as a way to honour the unsung heroes who make thoroughbred racing in Canada possible through their hard work and dedication at off-track thor- oughbred racing, training, boarding, breeding, sales, and aftercare farms and fa- cilities. Jennifer, who was born


in Ontario, learned to ride horses at a young age when living in Connecticut. Once settled in Alberta as a teenager, she worked for Glenview Stables and man- ager Brian Ferguson, a


Josie,


Windfields Farm alumni, learning the intricacies of farm management, from painting fences to barn care. She pursued performing arts in school at Mount Royal and worked as a fly-fishing guide on the famous Bow River, which she still does today. But the lure of horses was too strong. While rais- ing her son Hunter, Jennifer went to work at the famed Bar None Ranches for Mike Vanin. She also had a love for working with polo horses and she played at the Calgary Polo Club before moving over to Highfield.


Champion Two-year Old Female:


WITWATERSRAND


Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Gary Barber Breeder: G. Watts Humphrey Jr.; B. F. 2, by Connect – Carta de Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) 2023: 3 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds - 1 third - $107,031 Winner: Mazarine S. (G3), MSW Stakes Placings: 3rd Glori- ous Song S. Witwatersrand (132), Tripolina (41), Living Magic (32)


Champion Two-year Old Male: MY BOY PRINCE


Trainer:Mark Casse Owner: Gary Barber Breeder: Murray Graham Smith; GR./RO. C. 2, by Cairo Prince – Hopping Not Hoping (Silent Name *Jpn) 2023: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds - 1 third - $429,638 Winner: Cup and Saucer S., Simcoe S., MSW Stakes Placings: 2nd bet365 Summer S. (G1), 3rd Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Ju- venile Turf (G1) My Boy Prince (156),


Babbo (59), Two Ghosts (39)


Champion Three-year Old Female:


ELYSIAN FIELD


Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Team Valor Inter- national and Barber, Gary Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.; CH. F. 3, by Hard Spun – Elysian (Smart Strike) 2023: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds - 0 thirds - $492,029 Winner: Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, MSW Stakes Placings: 2nd Breeders’ S., 2nd Fury S. Presented by Stella Artois, 2nd King’s Plate S. Elysian Field (149), Solo Album (60), Fashionably Fab (45)


Champion Three-year Old Male: PARA-


MOUNT PRINCE Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Langlois, Michael J. and Barber, Gary Breeder: Ericka Nadine Rusnak; CH. G. 3, by Soci- ety’s Chairman – Platinum Steel (Eddington) 2023: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds - 1 third - $566,568 Winner: King’s Plate S., Plate Trial S. Stakes Placings: 2nd Queenston S., 3rd Prince of Wales S. Paramount Prince (144), Patches O’Houlihan (70),


Touch’n Ride (47)


Outstanding Broodmare: MENDOCINO BEANO


Dark bay/brown mare, 2008 Smart Strike – Trishyde Slew, by Seattle Slew 5 starters, 5 Winners, 1 Graded Blacktype Winner, 2 Blacktype Winners, 1 Blacktype Placer Progeny


earnings


$1,253,560 Sean and Dorothy


Fitzhenry bred and raced Mendocino Beano, who provided them with a maiden special weight vic- tory and a third in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes. But, it has been in the breed- ing shed where the Ontario- bred has really left her mark. From five foals, each of which have run and won, her progeny earnings stand at just over $1.2 million. Mendocino Beano’s


highest earner is Tone Broke, who captured two- thirds of the 2019 Canadian Triple Crown and finished third in that year’s Queen’s Plate on his way to amass- ing over $500,000 in earn- ings. She also produced overnight stakes winner Stallion Heiress and the stakes-placed winner Con- quest Fleetfeet. Mendocino Beano (74),


Sunday Affair (54), Game (FR) (31)


Outstanding Breeder: ADENA SPRINGS


In Canada: Starters 42; Winners 19 Earnings $1,934,913 Starts 221; Wins 27; 2nd 33; 3rd 28 Frank and Frieda


Stronach’s legendary Adena Springs North, in Aurora, Ontario, was voted Out- standing Breeder for the 13th time in 2022, more than any other Canadian breeder in the history


their


of the Sovereign Awards. The Adena Springs-bred star of 2023 was once again Moira, the 2022 Horse of the Year who came back at four and won the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Wood- bine. Campaigned by Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC and X-Men Racing, Moira placed in four graded stakes at Wood- bine before ending her sea- son with an impressive third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Moira, by Adena’s star stal- lion Ghostzapper, is a final- ist for Champion Female Turf Horse this evening. The debut victory by homebred


filly Shamans Girl in the


$150,000 Shady Well Stakes was a highlight. A daughter of Adena stallion Shaman Ghost, by Ghostzapper, Shamans Girl is out of the Stronachs’ Woodbine Oaks- winning mare, Ginger Brew. Adena Springs also saw Malibu Mambo finish third in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International.


Adena Springs (85), Ander- son Farms Ont. Inc. (68), Chiefswood Stables Lim- ited (32), Sean Fitzhenry (32), Sam-Son Farm (32) Champion Female Sprinter: LOYALTY


Trainer: Josie Carroll Owner: Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck) and LNJ Foxwoods Breeder: Best A Luck Farm LLC & Godolphin LLC; DK. B./BR. F. 4, by Hard Spun – Slew’s Quality (Elu- sive Quality) 2023: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds - 1 third - $205,599 Winner: Bessarabian S. (G2), Hendrie S. (G3), AOC Stakes Placings: 3rd On- tario Fashion S. Presented by Tanqueray (G3) Loyalty (160), Our Flash Drive (61), Fashionably Fab (39)


Champion Male Sprinter: PATCHES


O’HOULIHAN


Trainer: Robert P. Tiller Owner: Frank D. Di Giulio, Jr. Breeder: Frank Di Giulio Jr.; B. G. 3, by Reload – Maythefourthbwithu (Silent Name *Jpn) 2023: 7 Starts – 6 wins – 0 seconds - 0 thirds - $301,882 Winner: Bold Venture S. (G3), Vigil S. (G3), Lake Huron S., Lake Superior S., OC, OC Patches O’Houlihan (137), Lucky Score (61), Dream Shake (31)


Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: SOFIA VIVES


In Canada: Starts 600; Wins 100; 2nd 82; 3rd 74 Earnings $2,956,521


In her first full season


riding races, Sofia Vives pulled away from the pack with the most wins of any apprentice in 2023, winning 100 races between Wood- bine and Fort Erie. Her im- pressive win total at Woodbine, 88, put her fourth in the rider standings behind reigning champion Kazushi Kimura, Sahin Civaci, and Rafael Hernan- dez, and ahead of champi- ons Emma-Jayne Wilson and Patrick Husbands. Sofia also rode at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Born in Walterboro, South Carolina, and raised in horse country in Ocala, Florida, Sofia followed her father, former jockey Lazaro Vives, to the barns of dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, who gave Sofia a leg up to start her riding career. The young rider galloped as many horses as she could each day and rode in her first race late in 2022 at Woodbine. She had just over a dozen mounts that year, winning four of them, and then em- barked on a busy first year as a rookie rider.


Sofia Vives (162), Fraser Aebly (83), Amanda Vandermeersch (35)


Outstanding Jockey: KAZUSHI KIMURA


In Canada: Starts 816; Wins 161; 2nd 158; 3rd 113 Earnings $7,177,876 Stakes wins 15


Canada’s riding sensa-


tion, Kazushi Kimura, seeks his third consecutive Sover-


eign Award for Outstanding Jockey only six years into his riding career. The Japan- ese-born jockey burst onto the scene in 2018 with 104 victories, won the Sovereign Award as Outstanding Ap- prentice that year and re- peated in 2019. He was also the Eclipse Award Outstand- ing Apprentice Jockey in 2019. It has been a smooth transition for Kazushi as a journeyman and in 2023, he won more races at Wood- bine than he ever has and set a personal best for purse money. He won 15 stakes races including the third jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown,


Stakes, aboard Chiefswood Stables Limited’s Touch’n Ride. Kazushi won graded stakes races aboard Loyalty, a contender for Champion Female Sprinter for 2023, and Wolfie’s Dynaghost and Treason, both finalists for Champion Older Main Track Male.


Kazushi Kimura (162),


Sahin Civaci (75), Rafael Manuel Hernandez (28)


Champion Female Turf Horse:


FEV ROVER (IRE)


Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Tracy Farmer Breeder: Manister House Stud; B. M. 5, by Gutaifan *Ire – Laurelita *Ire (High Chaparral *Ire) 2023: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds - 1 third - $787,320 Winner: Beverly D. S. (G1), E. P. Taylor S. (G1), Nassau S. (G2) Stakes Placings: 3rd Diana S. (G1) Fev Rover (IRE) (148), Moira (95), Our Flash Drive (17)


Champion Male Turf Horse: LUCKY SCORE


Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Pantofel Stables, LLC, Wachtel Stable, and Barber, Gary Breeder: James Everatt, Janeane Everatt & Arika Everatt-Meeuse; B. G. 5, by Lookin at Lucky – Miss Matzo (Royal Academy) 2023: 8 Starts – 1 win – 2 seconds - 3 thirds - $318,220 Winner: Highlander S. (G2) Stakes Placings: 2nd Nearctic S. (G2), 3rd Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. (G1), 3rd Connaught Cup S. Pre- sented by Bulleit Bourbon (G2), 3rd King Edward S. (G2) Lucky Score (96), My Boy Prince (88), Palazzi (30)


Outstanding Trainer: MARK E. CASSE


In Canada: Starts 556; Wins 113; 2nd 105; 3rd 81 Earnings $7,821,080 Stakes wins 24


A member of both the


Canadian and U. S. Horse Racing Halls of Fame, Mark Casse has been atop the Outstanding Trainer cate- gory for more than a decade, having won twelve consec- utive times. Incredibly, his stable set a new record in 2023 for purse earnings at Woodbine and its starters


collected over $7.8 million in Canada. Mark trained the winners of 113 races and 24 stakes races in Canada. His 24 stakes wins in Canada, ten of them graded, were by 21 different horses, of which 12 are Sovereign Awards fi- nalists this evening. Among the stars for the Mark Casse team in 2023 was Fev Rover (IRE) who provided Mark with his first victory in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes. Already a Grade 1 winner on turf in the U. S. during the year, Fev Rover also won the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes at Woodbine.


the Breeders’ Mark E. Casse (160),


Kevin Attard (80), Martin Drexler (21)


Champion Older Main Track Female: MILLIE GIRL


Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips Owner: Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd., Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds Breeder: Sean Fitzhenry; B. M. 5, by Hard Spun – Mendocino Beano (Smart Strike) 2023: 7 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second - 2 thirds - $257,344 Winner: Maple Leaf S. (G3), Ontario Matron S. (G3), AOC Stakes Placings: 2nd Sea- way S. (G3), 3rd Nassau S. (G2), 3rd Royal North S. (G2)


Millie Girl (152),


Infinite Patience (60), Il Malocchio (39)


Champion Older Main Track Male: TYSON


Trainer: Josie Carroll Owner: Hill


‘n’ Dale


Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Stetch Run Ven- tures, LLC Breeder: Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc and Stetch Run Ventures, LLC GR/RO. C. 4, by Tapit – Ho- nouring (Smart Strike) 2023: 7 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds - 2 thirds - $319,967 Winner: Seagram Cup S. (G2), Dominion Day S. (G3), AOC Stakes Placings: 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1), 3rd Eclipse S. Pre- sented by Don Julio (G2) Tyson (113), Wolfie’s Dy- naghost (100), Treason (29)


Outstanding Owner: GARY BARBER


In Canada: Starts 96; Wins 22; 2nd 19; 3rd 15 Earnings: $1,873,307 Stakes wins 6


Gary Barber has been


one of Ontario horse rac- ing’s most successful own-


The Jockey Club of


Canada was founded in 1973 by E. P. Taylor to serve as the international repre- sentative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the bene- fit of all those interested in the sport, including the gen- eral public. This is achieved through operations and serv- ices such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; con- ducting the annual Sover- eign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thorough- bred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.


ers in the last decade and this evening he seeks his first Sovereign Award as Outstanding Owner. A film producer in Hollywood, Gary is a staunch supporter of racing in Ontario and led all owners by earnings at Woodbine in 2020 and 2021. Gary’s statistics as a sole owner in 2023 were im- pressive once again as he won 22 races, six of them stakes, and his horses col- lected over $1.8 million. Among those winners were My Boy Prince, a CTHS Ontario Yearling Sale pur- chase who won the Cup and Saucer Stakes and Simcoe Stakes before finishing a gallant third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The colt also placed in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes and is a finalist for Cham- pion Two-year Old Male this evening. Gary also won graded stakes races with Conglomerate, Palazzi, and Witwatersrand.


Gary Barber (126), Bruno Schickedanz (71), Chiefs- wood Stables Limited (27)


Horse of the Year: FEV ROVER (IRE)


Trainer: Mark E. Casse Owner: Tracy Farmer Breeder: Manister House Stud; B. M. 5, by Gutaifan *Ire – Laurelita *Ire (High Chaparral *Ire) 2023: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds - 1 third - $787,320 Winner: Beverly D. S. (G1), E. P. Taylor S. (G1), Nassau S. (G2) Stakes Placings: 3rd Diana S. (G1)


Fev Rover (IRE) (90),


Paramount Prince (44), Elysian Field (32)


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