2017 Champions crowned at Sovereign Awards

TORONTO, April 20, 2018 – The Jockey Club of Canada held its 43rd Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony at Toronto’s prestigious Palais Royale on Thursday, April 19.

In an effort to promote equal opportunity in determining the winners for 2017, voting began January 12, 2018, allowing for statistics from the entire year to be considered. The Jockey Club of Canada announced the top three finalists in each category as determined by the online ballots of the Jockey Club of Canada’s knowledgeable voters. The media category awards were determined by the Professors of Humber School of Media Studies and Information Technology in Toronto.

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the 2017 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.

(Media) Outstanding Photograph:
Dave Landry – Dirt Storm
Published as Canadian Thoroughbred’s February 2017 Cover Photo & $5 Lotto Scratch Ticket produced by the OLG

(Media) Outstanding Writing:
Perry Lefko – “Former Breeders’ Stakes champ finding the stable life at last”
Published in The Toronto Star

(Media) Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast:
Horse Racing Alberta
Published at thehorses.com

The Jockey Club of Canada Award: Tyson Lautenschlager
The inaugural award was awarded to Tyson Lautenschlager at the School of Media Studies and Information Technology, Humber Institute of Advanced Technology and Advanced Learning.

“When I found out I got this scholarship I was thrilled. I became the kind of student who not only worked hard for myself but tried to help other people have success as well. It’s been a really rewarding experience to this point, especially considering I’ve been paying for most of my schooling out of my own pocket.”

Outstanding Groom Award: Alfredo Ramos
Born in Nicaragua, Alfredo Ramos has a name for himself as one of Woodbine’s most dedicated grooms, a job he started soon after arriving in Canada in the late 1980s. His early jobs came with trainers Rod Wright, Rita Schnitzler, Tino and Kevin Attard and in 2008, joined the high profile stable of Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield. Ramos has played a major role in the success of dozens of racehorses for Attfield over the years and is easy to spot in the Woodbine paddock as he is always sporting a big smile.

“Alfredo is very reliable and hard working,” said Attfield. “He is well deserving of the Groom Award.”

Outstanding Broodmare: Victorious Ami
Victory Gallop – Secret Ami, by Secret Claim
Progeny Earnings $1,834,978
Owner: Ivan Dalos
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm

Victorious Ami’s five winning foals were led by the brilliant mare Ami’s Mesa, who had victories in three graded stakes events in 2017, including the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Master’s Stakes. A finalist for Champion Older Mare and Champion Female Sprinter for 2017,
Ami’s Mesa earned over $588,000 during the year. Victorious Ami’s third foal, Ami’s Holiday, won the 2014 Breeders’ Stakes and 2013 Grey Stakes (Grade 3) and earned over $817,000. The mare has also produced stakes placed Victory Exchange, has a two-year-old colt by Into Mischief and a yearling colt by Flatter.

Victorious Ami (164), Keen Victory (53), Loving Vindication (21), Miss Crissy (21)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Rey Williams
Starts (261); Wins (41); Seconds (51); Thirds (45) Earnings ($471,415)

Barbados-born Rey Williams was Canada’s leading apprentice jockey in 2017 with 41 victories at Northlands Park and Century Downs in Alberta. A bettor’s favourite with more than 50 per cent of his mounts finishing in the top three, Williams was the sixth-leading rider at the Northlands. Williams rode Mister Jangles to a 7-1 upset win in the $50,000 Red Diamond Express Stakes and orchestrated another big win with Piper Rose in the $50,000 Alberta Oaks.

Rey Williams (158), Ridge Balgobin (67), Brandon A. Duchaine (56)

Outstanding Handicapper: Michael Eisen
Eisen considers one of his specialties in handicapping the ability to pick out a lone front-runner in a race, citing that he loves his horses to be “on the engine.” The growth of handicapping tournaments in Thoroughbred racing has been rapid in recent years and Eisen emphasized the importance of horseplayers in the sport.

“For me, that Sovereign Award is more than just the icing on the cake,” Eisen told HorseTourneys director of communications Eric Wing. “It is really special and carries a value that transcends the other prizes. Not to equate myself with the great achievers in the sport, but handicappers certainly do play a critical role in the industry.”

Champion Older Male: Pink Lloyd
Ch. g. 5 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
2017: 8 Starts – 8 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $663,000
Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Overskate S., Kenora S., Shepperton S., Vigil S. (G3), Achievement S., New Providence S., Jacques Cartier S.

Pink Lloyd (142), Melmich (108), Gigantic Breeze (38)

Champion Older Female: Ami’s Mesa
Dk. b or b. f. 4 / Sire: Sky Mesa / Dam: Victorious Ami (Victory Gallop)
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Ivan Dalos
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
2017: 5 Starts – 4 wins – 1 second- 0 thirds – $634,880
Winner: Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G2), Seaway S. (G3), Ontario Matron (G3), OC 62k

Ami’s Mesa (172), Moonlit Promise (66), Gamble’s Ghost (48)

Outstanding Trainer: Mark Casse
Starts (509); Wins (96); Seconds (85); Thirds (72)
Earnings $5,437,013; Stakes wins 18

Mark Casse’s stable had another strong season in 2017 with 96 winners and purse earnings over $5.4 million. The season highlight being World Approval’s win in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, the second consecutive Woodbine Mile winner for Casse. Woodbine stable stars also
include 2017 Sovereign Award finalists Wonder Gadot, as well as Field of Courage and Sovereign Award finalist Enstone.

Mark Casse (152), Norman McKnight (37), Josie Carroll (29), Catherine Day Phillips (29)

Champion Male Turf Horse: Johnny Bear
Ch. g. 6 / Sire: English Channel / Dam: In Return (Horse Chestnut)
Trainer: Ashlee Brnjas
Owner: Colebrook Farms and Bear Stables, Ltd.
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
2017: 11 Starts – 5 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $385,224
Winner: Northern Dancer Turf S. (G1), Halton S., OC 62k, OC 62k, OC 32k

Johnny Bear (142), Channel Maker (67), Tower of Texas (49)

Champion Female Turf Horse: Starship Jubilee
B. f. 4 / Sire: Indy Wind / Dam: Perfectly Wild (Forest Wildcat)
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Owner: Attard, Kevin and Mehta, Soli
Breeder: William P. Sorren
2017: 10 Starts – 6 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $310,900
Winner: Dance Smartly S. (G2), Nassau S. (G2), OC25K/N1X-N, ALW 50K, OC16K/N1X-N, CLM 16K

Starship Jubilee (152), Inflexibility (81), Enstone (68)

Outstanding Breeder: Adena Springs
Starters 68; Winners 39
Earnings $5,827,530
Starts (432); Wins (64); Seconds (67); Thirds (61)

Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs had eight individual Canadian-bred stakes winners in 2017 including Holy Helena, who won the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate for the farm. Shaman Ghost , another Stronach offspring of Ghostzapper, had a big year racing in the U.S. with victories in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and Grade 2 Pimlico Special. Other Canadian-bred stakes winners from the Adena Springs include Grade 3 winner Shakhimat and two-year-old stakes winner Glamanation.

Adena Springs (139), Tall Oaks Farm (91), Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (56)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Admiralty Pier
Ch. g. 2 / Sire: English Channel / Dam: Full Steam Ahead (Kitten’s Joy)
Trainer: Barbara J. Minshall
Owner: Hoolie Racing Stable, LLC and Lunsford, Bruce
Breeder: Calumet Farm
2017: 5 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $141,300
Winner: Display S., MSW

Admiralty Pier (109), Archaggelos (65), Be Vewy Vewy Quiet (64)

Champion Two-Year-Old Filly: Wonder Gadot
Dk. b or b. f. 2 / Sire: Medaglia d’Oro / Dam: Loving Vindication (Vindication)
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Gary Barber
Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.
2017: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $348,140
Winner: Demoiselle S. (Gr. 2), Mazarine S. (G3), MSW

Wonder Gadot (138), Dream It Is (82), Dixie Moon (73)

Outstanding Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
Starts (824); Wins (203); Seconds (186); Thirds (121)
Earnings $8,506,596; Stakes wins 34

Eurico Rosa da Silva won a remarkable 34 stakes races in 2017. One of the biggest victories of the year came when he rode American invader Bullards Alley to a 42-1 upset in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International. Da Silva was also an integral part of Pink Lloyd’s magical season, who won eight stakes races in 2017. Other stars ridden by Da Silva include Sovereign Award finalists Dixie Moon, Melmich and Mr. Havercamp. Da Silva also did Canada proud when he won Japan’s World All-Star Jockey Challenge in August.

Eurico Rosa Da Silva (164), Luis Contreras (83), Rico Walcott (24)

Champion Male Sprinter: Pink Lloyd
Ch. g. 5 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
2017: 8 Starts – 8 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $663,000
Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Overskate S., Kenora S., Shepperton S., Vigil S. (G3), Achievement S., New Providence S., Jacques Cartier S.

Pink Lloyd (180), Ikerrin Road (82), Yorkton (25)

Champion Female Sprinter: Ami’s Mesa
Dk. b or b. f. 4 / Sire: Sky Mesa / Dam: Victorious Ami (Victory Gallop)
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Ivan Dalos
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
2017: 5 Starts – 4 wins – 1 second- 0 thirds – $634,880
Winner: Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G2), Seaway S. (G3), Ontario Matron (G3), OC 62k

Ami’s Mesa (178), Moonlit Promise (87), Jennifer Lynnette (24)

Outstanding Owner: Chiefswood Stable
Starts (143); Wins (25); Seconds (31); Thirds (21)
Earnings $2,284,718; Stakes wins 7
This is the first nomination for Robert and Mark Krembil’s Chiefswood Stable, which has divisions in King City and Loretto, Ont. Its purse earnings of over $2.2 million in 2017 was the most earned by Chiefswood runners in the stable’s history. Stars for the Krembil family in 2017 include Tiz a Slam, a finalist for 2017 Champion Three-Year-Old Male, as well as Yorkton, a nominee in this year’s Sovereign Award Male Sprinter category.

Chiefswood Stable (117), Ivan Dalos (69), Stronach Stables (60)

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Channel Maker
Ch. g. 3 / Sire: English Channel / Dam: In Return (Horse Chestnut)
Trainer: William I. Mott
Owner: Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, Wachtel Stable and Barber, Gary
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
2017: 9 Starts – 1 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds – $408,467
Winner: Breeders’ Stakes
Channel Maker (113), Mr Havercamp (82), Tiz a Slam (70)

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly: Holy Helena
Dk.b or b. f. 3 / Sire: Ghostzapper / Dam: Holy Grace (Holy Bull)
Trainer: James A. Jerkens
Owner: Stronach Stables
Breeder: Adena Springs
2017: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds – $991,000
Winner: Queens Plate S., Woodbine Oaks S., MSW

Holy Helena (166), Enstone (56), Daz Lin Dawn (38), Inflexibility (38)

Special Sovereign Award: Sam Lima
As an enthusiastic horse owner, horseplayer and long-time member of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (Ontario), Lima is one of the most recognizable faces at Woodbine and a tireless supporter of the sport. He has led the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing
Club, a fun group for fans with monthly meetings and track and farm trips since 1972. Lima has been a passionate and active director for the HBPA since 1972 and has played a role in many policies including getting fifth-place purse money for horsemen, the construction of a new dormitory, and financial benefits for horsepeople from simulcasting and uncashed tickets. Lima and his wife Frances and daughter Carolyn have continued with the popular Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club, which celebrates it 57th year in 2018. On most weekends, you will find Lima on the fourth floor at Woodbine playing the races and seeking out guests for the Club’s next monthly meeting.

Horse of the Year: Pink Lloyd
Ch. g. 5 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
2017: 8 Starts – 8 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $663,000
Winner: Kennedy Road S. (G2), Overskate S., Kenora S., Shepperton S., Vigil S. (G3), Achievement S., New Providence S., Jacques Cartier S.

Pink Lloyd (150), Ami’s Mesa (82), Holy Helena (40)

About The Jockey Club of Canada

The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative 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 benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred 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.

(With files from The Jockey Club of Canada)